A Light in the Darkness: Concealed
by LadyAlambiel
Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!
1. Prologue: To Plot in Shadows

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so for the full experience. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

_What's Gone on Before_

Shot entering a courthouse in our world, a stranger comes to Narnia one year into the Pevensies' reign. This stranger, Katerina Alambiel, gains the trust of young Queen Lucy even though others suspect she might be a witch. Still, she is allowed to remain in Cair Paravel as a guest. Oreius begins to earn her trust as she earns his. When the evil sorcerer, Jannes, takes Lucy, Katerina Alambiel is accused of being an accomplice even as she crafts a plan to rescue the Valiant Queen. Infiltrating the sorcerer's lair, Katerina Alambiel leaves a trail for Oreius and the Kings allowing them to rescue Lucy. Katerina Alambiel pursues and kills Jannes with Oreius' aid (Full story: _Awakening_).

After six months of finding a niche in the daily life and routine of Cair Paravel (Full story: _Shields_), Katerina Alambiel is counted as a friend rather than a guest by the Four and by General Oreius. She accompanies High King Peter and Queen Susan on a trip, unaware that another sorcerer intends to frame her as the High King's assassin. Just before parting ways with Susan, dark secrets in Katerina Alambiel's past are revealed. A pair of assassins frames Katerina Alambiel in two attacks on the High King's life before she and a badly wounded Peter are captured by the sorcerer, Jambres. As he tortures them, Jambres reveals that Katerina Alambiel is part Human and part Narnian. Katerina Alambiel interferes with Jambres' attempt to kill Peter, taking the brunt of the spell herself before Oreius and the other Narnians rescue them. Aslan confirms to Katerina Alambiel that she is both Human and Narnian, and that her Narnian heritage is that of Nymph and Centaur due to her mother being the Nymph daughter of a Centaur, before charging her with the task of searching for the identity of her birth family, thereby unlocking the forgotten memories of her early childhood. Katerina Alambiel survives the spell with the addition of two white streaks in the front of her hair as souvenirs and Peter decides to knight her into his chivalric order for her actions (Full story: _Shadowed_).

Two years after being knighted Dame Sepphora of the Most Noble Order of the Lion, Katerina Alambiel is nearing the end of her search for the identity of her Narnian birth family. While her long-forgotten memories begin to resurface, she runs afoul of Count Hendrik of Sisemaal, one of Narnia's allies. Afterwards, Katerina Alambiel discovers that she was born Alambiel, daughter of Lew the last King of Narnia, and the only survivor of Jadis' massacre of the original royal family. Before Katerina Alambiel can decide how to handle the information, she and King Edmund go on a border patrol but are captured by the vengeful disgraced Count Hendrik and his cousin, Heikki, who leads a group of mercenaries employed by the Witch Medea. As Peter and Oreius lead a huge rescue party to find them, Edmund and Katerina Alambiel are tormented by Medea. Peter and Oreius rescue them just after Medea turns Katerina Alambiel over to Heikki and Hendrik and prepares to kill Edmund. Medea is defeated and her forces routed and scattered. Katerina Alambiel swears Oreius and the four other Narnians who know the truth of her identity to secrecy (Full story: _Revealed_).

Prologue: To Plot in Shadows

21 Yule 1004

"Can we not perform the ceremony tonight at moonhigh?"

"No, Brutus, we cannot perform it yet. The cost of such a ritual is too high. Besides the fresher the blood the better." The Hag clacked her beak menacingly as she boldly met Brutus' gaze, "Remember, Werewolf, you are indebted to me for the price of healing your wounds this past summer. You claim to know a way to capture the sacrifice without bringing the wrath of the Great Cat on us and you will keep your side of the bargain we made or you won't live long enough to fully regret it...but your kin will."

Brutus growled at the reminder of the terms and conditions the Hag had insisted on binding him to when they first began forming this plot. His scarred muzzle wrinkled as he snarled, "I remember, Hag, that you said we merely need wait for Winter Solstice. Well? It is Winter Solstice."

The Hag ignored him as she turned to the squirming young Satyr they had snatched from the outskirts of a Narnian town. Raising a black knife, the Hag began chanting an incantation to enable her to read the potential future in crude imitation of the gifts of foresight and prophecy the Great Cat had granted to the Centaurs. Brutus watched the sacrifice with callous indifference, though he did wonder if the Hag's readings came anywhere close to the certainty the stars apparently granted the Centaurs. Isak had had no trust for the Hag's plot, but he had been wholly devoted to Medea. Brutus himself was not as powerful as Isak, but he still ruled his pack and they would follow his lead in this plot. For though the Hag was no more trustworthy than any other Fell, Brutus believed she would continue to hold to the plan to bring back their Mistress. He growled, "How much longer must we wait, Hag?"

The Hag lifted a finger and casually licked the blood off her talon, testing it as a part of her foretelling, before she cackled, "Two years precisely. The eclipse shall fall on Winter Solstice and at moonhigh with the sacrifice of royal blood we shall bring Her back and Narnia shall be ours once again."

Brutus threw his head back and howled. His howl celebrating the coming triumph echoed through the cavern and was taken up by his Werewolf brethren. Brutus lowered his head and snarled in anticipation at the mere thought of how much he would enjoy bringing about his end of the plot. The royals of Narnia would never expect it...

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! So, I happen to be posting the opening of ****_Concealed_**** exactly one year after I posted the opening chapters of my first story ****_Awakening_****. :) All right, so the bad guys are plotting and our heroes shall soon be in a lot of trouble, but don't worry nothing so terrible as what happened in ****_Revealed_****...I think. Anyway, leave a review and let me know what y'all think about this one. Oh, and happy Veterans Day.**


	2. Chapter One: Partings

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter One: Partings

26 Stormfall 1006

Susan hurriedly sorted and folded and replaced certain items of clothing with more appropriate ones, chattering all the while, "You will be sure to give King Lune the gifts when Corin is not around, won't you? And, don't make any promises of adventure or fighting or traveling or anything of that sort to Corin. He's six, he still doesn't understand the whole concept of later referring to a time much further removed than when you leave Anvard." She paused but only silence greeted her. Pausing in the middle of pulling out a tattered, travel-stained tunic and replacing it with a crushed velvet royal blue tunic, she looked over her shoulder, "Peter, are you listening to a word I say?"

Her brother smiled from where he was leaning back against the headboard of Edmund's bed, "Yes, Su, I've heard every word. No presents until after young Prince Corin has been shuttled off to bed or is otherwise distracted, no giving any unintentional or intentional promises to Corin, and I'll even make sure Edmund wears his especially thick, extra wooly socks."

Susan rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile, "Just...make sure you all take care of yourselves and don't get into any trouble."

Peter hopped off Edmund's bed and walked over to her, throwing his arms around her, he picked her up so her feet were dangling in the air as he hugged her tightly. "Don't worry, Su. We'll be fine and I promise we'll back in time of the festivities." Susan returned the hug just as tightly before Peter set her down again and looked at his travel packs, "Now are you done reorganizing all of Silvo's hard work to your satisfaction?"

Susan smiled, "Yes. And, I already repacked Edmund's travel packs. Actually, where is Edmund anyway?"

Peter smirked, "Oh, I think he went to apologize to Kat one more time before saying goodbye to Lucy...or maybe after saying goodbye to Lucy."

Susan shook her head, "I still can't believe he and Tarrin managed that prank and were foolish enough to enact it."

Peter grinned until he noticed her frowning at him, "Sorry, but it is funny that they caught Kat so completely by surprise." He paused then held his hand out to her, "Come on, let's go find Lucy before we really are late. She'll either have Edmund with her or know exactly where he is."

Susan smiled a little as she allowed Peter to steer her out of her brothers' rooms. It was true that Lucy would know where Edmund was; actually, she strongly suspected that her little sister was busy pestering their brother into promising the envoy would be back in plenty of time for Christmas.

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Oreius rapped his knuckles against the door frame, "Are you awake, Katerina Alambiel?"

"Of course, I am."

He chuckled at the hint of irritation in her voice as he walked into the room, "Tired of questions already?"

The lump under the covers finally shifted so he could see Katerina Alambiel's eyes peeking at him over the edge of the comforter. The irritation was replaced by a knowing tone, "Sure enough, but that has never stopped you, Kentauri."

He could hear the hint of exhaustion and see it in the shadows under her eyes. If he bothered her too much, it wouldn't take long for both Tuulea and Alithia to descend in all their scolding fury. "How do you feel?"

She rolled her eyes, "About what you would expect for someone who had a barrel of ice-cold water dumped on them in Stormfall when five miles out from the Cair and now has a-" A fit of coughing interrupted her and she ducked back under the covers as Oreius moved closer to the bed. Her coughing fit finally abated and she continued in a hoarser voice as she peeked back out at him again, "now has an extremely inconvenient cold. I hate Murphy."

Oreius smiled in spite of himself at her decision to grumble about Murphy, "Now, you know you didn't really want to go on a diplomatic trip anyway. In fact, I believe you said something earlier this year about not going on any diplomatic trips for three years at least."

A glint of amusement appeared in her eyes and he suspected she was grinning, "Well, that is true, but I could have gotten myself out of going without being sick." She paused then continued in an even softer voice, "Be careful, Kentauri." A teasing note entered her voice, "I better not have to come rescue you and the Kings because you took a wrong turn."

He smirked then reached out and brushed some loose strands of hair back from her face, "Oh do not worry about that happening, Alambiel. Between Ardon, Peridan, and myself, we will keep our Kings safe and on the right route between Anvard and Cair Paravel."

She reached up and grabbed his hand, "Not to mention the Queens will kill you if you lot are late for all the festivities they've planned for this Yule. You had better be back here by Christmas Eve."

He smiled at her then made a formal bow as he gently teased, "So I have been commanded." She rolled her eyes at him again and he added in a more serious tone, "You will rest and listen to Tuulea and Alithia."

Katerina Alambiel narrowed her eyes at him, "As you wish. Now go away, I'm pretty sure it looks bad if the General is late. You're supposed to set an unachievable example or something along those lines."

Oreius chuckled, but he could see her energy was flagging and he had promised Alithia and Tuulea that he wouldn't keep her from resting. Her eyes were closed before he even stepped back. Slipping out and pulling the bedroom door so it was barely cracked open, Oreius suspected that it still wouldn't be long before she had enough energy to be bored again and he would be receiving letters to that effect.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! So, the not so dark chapter is up faster than I thought I would have it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the prologue, your reviews really inspired me to write this chapter up this morning. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter.**

**A/N2: Happy Thanksgiving! **


	3. Chapter Two: Of Kings and Werewolves

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Two: Of Kings and Werewolves

Avoiding patrols, the small band of Werewolves tracked the Narnian whelps who claimed to be kings as they journeyed south away from the safety of their city and their army. The urge to hunt burned in the very depth of their bones. The hunger for the kill, for the sweet taste of man-flesh, was nearly overwhelming. Only the sight and sound of the two Gryphons scouts kept the Werewolves from rushing the Humans and their escort...for now.

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30 Stormfall 1006

Oreius shared an amused look with Ardon as they listened to the Kings grumbling to each other about their pace. King Edmund shook his head, "I don't understand how Susan manages to make all these packages seem small until the first time we stop and then it's too late for us to make, well, ask her to unpack some of them."

The High King chuckled, "Easy, it's Susan. She probably has some sort of agreement with the horses to not give away just how many packages she's sending by slowing down until after we've left the Cair far behind us. And, it is well that you changed your last words from 'make' to 'ask' because, tell me brother, when have you ever known Susan to unpack when forced?"

Oreius smirked as King Edmund conceded the point, "True, and the one time you tried to force her to "pack reasonably" Susan retaliated by packing your travel bags full of everything that was reasonable for _her_ to bring...that was a fun trip." The High King reached over and gave his brother a light shove in response and King Edmund smirked, "Oh come on, Peter, you have to admit it was pretty funny when you pulled out that pair of lacy pink bloomers. Susan really got you that time. Oh, I wish you could have seen the look on your face."

As King Edmund chortled at his brother's expense, Oreius looked over the Kings' heads to see Peridan watching them with an expression torn between amusement and incredulity. Peridan was still adjusting to life in Narnia, but Oreius suspected it was more the mention of Queen Susan's mischievous prank on her brothers that the Human was struggling to equate with the sedate Gentle Queen he and his family had come to know in the last six months. The High King scowled at his brother, though it was hardly convincing, as he finally countered. "Be grateful Susan only sent enough packages to burden three horses and that we have a perfectly legitimate excuse to not be in the Cair when Susan starts on her frenzy of decorating and preparing for the Christmas festivities and ends up commandeering everyone in the Cair, including the army." The High King twisted in the saddle to look at Oreius with a grin, "You know, General, if Susan really wanted to, she could take over the army and leave you with naught to do."

Oreius smirked, "Then it is indeed well that the Gentle Queen has no true interest in war for I enjoy the task of being your general."

King Edmund looked amused then he grew contemplative, "Do you ever get the feeling that the girls are just humoring us by letting us think we've gotten away with something or doing something they couldn't do? Because, the more I think about it, the more I think when we think we've gotten our way it's really the girls who've gotten their way and they are just indulging us so we don't realize it...at least not right away."

Oreius chuckled as King Peter clapped his brother on the shoulder, "Edmund, I think you're letting the fact that Kat's sick and currently physically unable to retaliate for your prank get to you. 'Sides, it's apparently an exercise in futility to try to figure out what in the worlds goes on inside the minds of women."

Peridan and Ardon immediately agreed, with Ardon adding, "If you find yourself getting your way, it's best just to accept it at face value instead of trying to figure out why she didn't get her way. Far less trouble and far more satisfying results." Peridan nodded his agreement, and then Oreius and the Kings laughed as Peridan and Ardon exchanged a look then said in unison, "Don't tell my wife anything I just said."

As the conversation drifted to the latest news out of Archenland, Oreius looked up to see one of the Gryphons, Ihbari, wheeling back toward their party as he exchanged places with the other Gryphon scout. Winter had come early compared to the last four years with snow falling thick enough to cover the ground in drifts two to three feet deep before they had even reached the end of Stormfall. Still, the pass to Archenland remained open though for convenience' sake Oreius intended to push on the journey home to get out and away from the mountains as fast as possible to prevent them from being stranded by a blizzard. Their party was small, only twenty guards including the Gryphons other than the Kings, Peridan, Ardon, and himself, but there hadn't been any trouble reported and a smaller group meant a faster travel time. He glanced behind them to where the three pack horses walked with heads bent...well, faster travel time on the return trip.

Oreius turned to face forward again, only to pause when he noticed several dark shadows darting among the trees to the right of their party. He frowned slightly then he drew his swords just as Ihbari and Tila shrieked their warnings and howls erupted from the woods. The soldiers drew weapons or bared claws just as the shadows detached themselves from the trees and confirmed what Oreius had suspected; Werewolves. Wolfsbane and How quickly turned their mounts so they could fight side by side with Peridan and Ardon flanking them. The six archers with them fired a volley. The Wolves and Tigers raced forward after the first volley as did Oreius and two other Centaurs. They slammed into the Werewolves. Oreius cut down one and trampled another under his hooves. Whirling around, he brought his blades down in an arc, killing the Werewolf who had attempted to hamstring him. Wolfsbane and How continued to fight from atop their horses as they charged forward to join him in the middle of the fight, but Peridan was on foot as he surged through the snow to continue a ruthless attack on any Werewolf that came close to his Kings.

One of the Werewolves let out a startled howl as a large bull Elk hooked him with his antlers and tossed him back over his body to slam against a tree trunk. Snow stained red with blood churned under their feet as they continued to fight off the band of Werewolves. Oreius felt one of his hooves slip as he stepped on a patch of ice that had been uncovered in the mêlée. A gray Werewolf lunged, trying to take advantage of the misstep. Oreius planted his feet firmly and twisted his right sword to bite deeply into the Werewolf's shoulder. The Werewolf leapt away with a snarl of pain and rage. He whirled to look at Oreius and bared his teeth in another snarl.

Then, a distant howl rang out and, to the surprise of Oreius and the others, the Werewolves still alive broke off their attacks and fled until the trees hid them from sight once more. Oreius frowned at the odd behavior. King Peter looked at him, "What just happened?"

"I am not certain, your majesty." Oreius looked around the impromptu battleground then quietly issued the order for Tila to make her way to the closest patrol and bid them hunt for the remaining Werewolves. The worst wound sustained was a deep cut to one of the archers' arms, so at Oreius' order, they moved out again.

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Frome snarled in rage as Brutus growled, "What were you thinking? I told you to watch the Narnians, not attack them! Now they will be on their guard and their general will probably set patrols to hunting for you as well. Be grateful, you haven't ruined anything but our ability to easily track the pretender kings, or I would have killed you as well, Frome."

Frome snarled again as the little Hag prodded at his wound, "What do you speak of now, Brutus?" He was growing weary of the other Werewolf's crypticness, which had grown steadily over the last two years since his alpha had made the bargain with the Hag matriarch. "Do we not kill the kings?"

Brutus wrinkled his scarred muzzle, "No. Not yet. We need to capture one of the royals of Narnia first, bring Her back, and then we can kill them all."

Frome slapped the Hag away, causing the creature to shriek in anger, and stood, "Then, we capture the dark one tomorrow and-"

Brutus growled, "No, I have a better plan. And, I will not capture a royal so early that we spend weeks trying to avoid both Narnians and the temptation to eat the royal."

Frome snarled as he allowed the Hag to once again resume repairing his wound, "Fine. But, that Centaur will pay for his insult. If he has a mate, I will steal her then rip her heart out before him. If he has young, I will devour them whole. And then, I will kill and eat the Centaur."

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Leave a review and let me know what y'all think about this chapter. Next chapter we'll probably go back to Susan and Kat. Also, so you want to see the trip to Archenland, that is, do you want Lune and Corin to get time interacting with Oreius, the Kings, and Peridan?**


	4. Chapter Three: Of Stars and Hags

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Three: Of Stars and Hags

32 Stormfall 1006

Oreius stood just outside the camp, studying the stars, but tonight they gave no indication of danger coming. "General?"

He looked down to see the High King walking toward him, his current guard, Kumbali, having stopped a short distance away. Oreius bowed slightly, "Your Majesty. I had thought you and your brother both retired."

The High King looked down and Oreius knew he had heard the faint reprimand for not resting, "Well, we did, that is I did. Edmund's still checking his packs." Oreius raised an eyebrow and King Peter grinned, "He managed to theorize his way into believing that Kat slipped some prank into his packs, which he won't find until right before the more important diplomatic meetings unless he searches it thoroughly...tonight."

Oreius smirked at how Katerina Alambiel was enacting her revenge simply by allowing King Edmund to imagine the worst. But, considering how ill she had been when they left, he doubted she had done anything to the Just King's packs. "You should be able to reassure your brother that she was incapable of doing anything to his packs since she was too ill to move."

King Peter looked up sharply, "I thought Kat was just suffering from a cold. That is what she told us when we went to say goodbye and for Edmund to apologize...again...the day before we left."

Oreius sighed, "What Katerina Alambiel decided was an inconvenient cold, Tuulea and Alithia called a mild case of pneumonia." When King Peter started to look worried and a little guilty, Oreius gently reminded him. "She told you both it was a cold so you would not worry or feel guilty, you know how she is when it comes to her own health...she could be coughing up her lungs and she would still try to convince everyone that she was just fine, much like you, my King."

The High King laughed a little, "You know she says the same thing about you, General."

Oreius nodded, "So she has told me in the past. But, it is getting late, and both you and How should be resting. We've still another two days' journey to Anvard and we don't need the two of you falling asleep in your saddles come morn."

The High King chuckled, "Yes, Oreius." He turned only to pause and look back at him, "Did the patrols find the remaining Werewolves?"

Oreius hid his displeasure at the reports he had received when they stopped for the night as he calmly replied, "Only four wounded stragglers, the rest of the pack vanished. The patrols continue the hunt and I have sent word back to Cair Paravel and Captains Sherket and Cletus will ensure additional precautions are taken though it seems unlikely the Werewolves would journey northeast instead of fleeing west and north." King Peter nodded then tramped back through the snow toward the camp. Oreius cast one last look at the still-peaceful stars and prayed that the Werewolves would not come near Cair Paravel as he had told the High King. After all, why would they risk the certain death that would come from attacking the Cair?

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"Hag, you must cloak my entire pack. I demand it!"

The Hag matriarch clacked her beak menacingly as she pointed a crooked finger at Brutus, "You cannot demand anything of me, Werewolf. You are indebted to me and it would take nothing for me to take the price of healing you out of your dying breath. I have cloaked most of your miserable pack. Those who die at the hands of the Narnians pay the price for your idiot beta's mistake."

Brutus snarled, "Frome was overeager, but we have waited so long that you had better not cause us to fail."

The Hag matriarch bristled and slammed her gnarled staff against the cave floor, "_I? I cause us to fail?_ You dare forget who I am? I am Beira! Matriarch of all Hags, I prophesied our Mistress conquering Narnia, I told Her of the threat from the royal family, from the line of Frank, I told Her of the prophecy the Great Cat gave to the Centaurs before the stars were silenced."

Brutus dared to snarl at her, "Did you tell Her of Her end with the coming of those four usurpers?"

Beira hissed and slammed her staff again, causing the trinkets of stone, silver, and bones wrapped around the length of it to click against the wood, "She did not come to my cave nor did She summon me to Her side. No need of sacrifices and reading of the blood She decided after crushing the resistance." She narrowed her eyes at the Werewolf and pointed her staff at him, causing Brutus to fall back slightly as he well knew the power of the magic Beira wielded, as she hissed. "Do not think you can accomplish this ceremony with any other Hag you might find, Brutus. Only I am able to perform it. Now keep your miserable pack of curs under control and remember if they blunder across the Narnians, the cloaking spell only works until direct line of sight is established and once you are seen the spell will no longer disguise your tracks or your scent. Now leave my cave before I decide that you are not so valuable to the carrying out of the ceremony as to overlook you and your pack's sloppy behavior."

Beira tapped her staff against the ground twice after the Werewolf withdrew summoning the most loyal of her daughters. The younger Hag brought her scrying bowl and filled it with the last of the blood from their most recent sacrifice before retreating to wait along the cave wall. Beira mused that she would complete the younger Hag's training then send her to form her own nest soon...unless one of her other daughters killed her in order to receive the higher training. A single beckon brought the younger Hag forward as Beira dipped a talon in the blood and tasted it, checking to ensure it was still fresh enough to do what she wanted. She pointed imperiously and the younger Hag fetched the switch for the second part of the ritual. Beira was no fool, she would teach her daughters to hold the magic Hags could access, but for now she kept the most valuable piece of the coming ceremony secret. None, not even the daughter she considered most loyal, knew where Beira had hidden the broken wand of their Queen. Soon though, soon Jadis would be returned to life and this time She would not forget how crucial Beira was to the taking of Narnia.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, so not quite the chapter I thought I was going to post, but next chapter is definitely going to cover the visit to Anvard and then back to Kat and the girls. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	5. Chapter Four: In the Company of Lune

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Four: In the Company of Lune

3 Yule 1006

Oreius had never traveled to Anvard before and, though no land compared to the beauty that was Narnia or the breathtaking sight of Cair Paravel shining bright in the sun, even he had to admit that Anvard was impressive. As their party approached the capital in the early morning hours, the wintry sunlight hit the red-brown stones making it seem all of Anvard were crafted from red stone. Maintaining an easy pace through the snow, Oreius noted the inherent strategy of Anvard's positioning on a hill. He knew from the reports of soldiers who had escorted the Royals in the past and from the tales he had heard from the Royals as well as Peridan that it overlooked the vast lawns betwixt Anvard and the wooded ridge to the north. He could tell even from a distance that the thick walls and numerous towers made up for the lack of a moat. As they drew closer, he noted the soundness of the sturdy gate and portcullis. All in all, it was secure city placed in a readily defensible position.

The gate opened almost immediately for them and a man hurried out. Oreius exchanged a look with Ardon as the Kings and Peridan swung off their horses to greet the man. The man was broad and while no stranger to battle, Oreius could tell the doughty warrior was more at ease than in times past and enjoyed a generous spread at the table. The man threw his arms wide as he boomed out, "Welcome! Welcome to Anvard, friends and allies! Welcome Narnia! Ha ha! High King Peter! What good it does me to see you again!" Oreius hid his amusement as he watched the jolly King of Archenland grabbed first the High King and pulled him into a tight bear hug before he set him down and pulled King Edmund into an equally tight embrace. "King Edmund, welcome! Welcome! Still as skinny as a quarter staff I see. Ha ha! I had thought your lovely sister the Gentle Queen was conspiring to remedy you of that condition. Doesn't seem to be working from where I stand. Ha ha!" King Lune set King Edmund back down then his grin somehow managed to widen as he clasped Peridan's hand in his own then slammed his other hand against Peridan's back, "Peridan! Peridan my friend, it is good to see you again! Narnia seems to suit you, or perhaps I should say you suit Narnia? Ha ha! You know, your majesties, you have yourselves one of the best soldiers I have ever had the honor of fighting beside and I would complain about this fact save for one very important detail...I thank Aslan that his twin scalawags are no longer able to conspire with _my_ scalawag. Betwixt you and I, if they had stayed, why Anvard might not still have her walls! Ha ha!"

King Peter and King Edmund exchanged grins and Oreius knew they were thinking about how much chaos Peridan's youngest sons had already caused in Cair Paravel. Then, the High King cleared his throat and motioned for Oreius to join them, "King Lune, please allow me to finally introduce you to our beloved cousin and General Sir Oreius Cyneward. General Oreius, this is King Lune."

Oreius bowed slightly, "Your majesty."

He was a little surprised when King Lune's natural enthusiasm and jolliness seemed to wane slightly. Instead of the more enthusiastic greetings the Kings and Peridan had experienced, King Lune merely gave him a considering look before he extended his hand and clasped Oreius' forearm in a firm grip. "Welcome, General." Lune released his forearm then clapped his hands together and boomed, "What are we doing standing around in the snow? I am a poor host indeed! Come, allow me to escort you inside. Come! Come! We should have accommodations prepared for all of your party by now. And, you should be pleased to know that the Zelaians have sent word to confirm that they shall be reaching Anvard in the next three days. I fear they had a later start than they originally estimated, but praise Aslan it was not so late as to delay or forfeit the trade meetings."

Oreius only half-listened as he and Ardon walked behind the four Humans, paying more attention instead to his surroundings. Looking at how Anvard was most certainly not designed with Centaurs or larger Talking Animals in mind, he was grateful that he had chosen to leave the other Centaur soldiers at the border outpost and there were only two bull Elks with them. As they passed one area, Oreius could hear the raucous baying of dogs. Passing into the main courtyard before the castle, Ihbari called out to warn of his imminent landing causing some of the stable hands and other servants to scatter while several army officers came out of the barracks to watch as the Gryphon folded his wings and landed with the grace typical of his kind. King Lune let out a deep laugh and clapped both Kings on the back hard enough that they each staggered forward a step. Ihbari took command of the soldiers as Oreius and Ardon followed the Humans into the castle.

King Lune led them to a room that was spacious enough neither Centaur felt the room was closing in on them. He clapped his hands together, "Well, my friends, I admit I was wondering if the snow would keep you from crossing the pass, but obviously you're hardier folk than that. And, the delegation from Zelaia... If I remember aright, they were questioning who would be present from the Narnian delegation, and- Dash it all! I don't know why I keep trying to memorize their letters, I never remember the entirety of it and this is why I write the stuff down. Old age, your majesties, old age takes your short-term diplomatic memories first. Ha ha! Pardon me for a moment while I go find the last letter and my notes because I do remember deciding you should see it."

After their host left, King Peter grinned at King Edmund, "Do you think Stonebrook would accept that excuse?"

King Edmund snorted, "Stonebrook will accept that excuse when he accepts that Kat is truly incapable of being diplomatic."

The High King chuckled, "In that case, we will be dead before he accepts that excuse."

King Edmund nodded, "Ex-actly."

Oreius hid a grin at the conversation as he reflected on the many arguments and debates he and Tuulea had arbitrated in the past between Stonebrook and Katerina Alambiel. Katerina Alambiel might be capable of acting in a diplomatic manner when she felt the situation warranted such behavior, but when she decided it did not warrant the effort and accompanying annoyances, as she called it, of being diplomatic, she flatly refused to put forth the effort. And, when Katerina Alambiel decided to be stubborn about something, it would take less effort for him to move Cair Paravel with his bare hands than to force her to quit digging her heels in and be cooperative. Or he could just throw her into the sea.

Oreius was abruptly drawn from his thoughts when a child's voice interrupted the conversation. "King Peter! King Edmund! Lord Peridan! You're here! Finally! Lord Peridan! Did Thane and Shane come with you? Did they? King Peter! King Peter, will you knight me? Then I can go fight! King Edmund! Father says you use two swords! Two! Do you really? Can you teach me? Where are the Queens? Did they come with you? Did you bring Christmas presents? I hope I get a sword! Then I can fight with you and-"

The fair-haired slight boy finally seemed to realize there were two Centaurs in the room. Oreius noted he looked roughly the same age as Peridan's six-year-old twin sons, but then the boy regained his composure...and his torrent of questions. "Who are you? Father said he didn't know if any Centaurs was coming with the Kings. But, you're here! Does Father know? How do you fight? Like the war horses? You have three swords! Three! Can you use them all? Can you?" The boy bounced impatiently from foot to foot as he chattered another series of questions, this time they were all aimed at Oreius. Oreius didn't even attempt to answer, resigning himself to waiting for the questions to die down, and then the boy suddenly lunged forward and wrapped himself securely around Oreius' right foreleg. Even Peridan's sons hadn't done that! Oreius looked down and raised a single eyebrow at the boy, who seemed to only register that he now had Oreius' complete and utter attention. He grinned, showing off his three missing teeth, before he launched into another round of questions. "How old are you? My tutor says Centaurs live a long time. Have you lived a long time? Do you fight with the Kings? They say they learn from a Centaur. Is that you? Oh! Do you box? Do you? I love boxing! I'm good too and someday I'm going to be the bestest boxer in the world! Boxing is better than archery! And, it's even more fun than swinging swords, oh but I still want a sword for Christmas. When you leave, can I go with you? I want to box some Fell! That will be the greatest fun!"

Oreius was silently wondering how he was to detach the chattering pint-sized pest without causing harm or offense when King Lune announced his return by booming, "Corin! Corin, lad, what are you doing in here? And, let go of the General's leg. That is not how you treat guests. How many times must you be told that, my lad?" Prince Corin reluctantly unwrapped his stranglehold around Oreius' leg and ran up to his father who, wisely in Oreius' opinion, held up a hand before Corin could speak a word. "No, you mayn't stay. You must go back to your lessons with your tutor. We'll talk about everything once I've seen to our guests. Go on, lad, go on." Oreius watched as Prince Corin nodded reluctantly then one of the servants led the little prince by the hand down the hall and out of sight. King Lune shook his head, "Ah that lad, what am I to do with him? General Oreius, I apologize for Corin's behavior. I hope he didn't commit too great an offense."

Oreius shook his head, "No offense was taken, your majesty."

King Lune nodded, "Ah, good, good. Lion alive, if that boy isn't bouncing off the walls and furniture, he's bouncing off of or clinging to guests. Well, I'll just hand over that letter and those notes for your perusing pleasure, King Edmund, King Peter, and now please allow me to show you to your quarters. I believe the staff finally made the necessary adjustments to make your quarters comfortable, General, Captain, but if not, please tell me what to do to remedy it and I shall see it is carried out."

King Peter chuckled, "Don't worry, sir, I think the General and the Captain will be more than satisfied with their quarters."

Oreius inclined his head slightly when the High King and King Lune looked at him, "Indeed." That seemed to be all the reassurance King Lune needed as he launched into a tale about something that had happened the last time the High King had visited without his younger brother, much to King Edmund's interest and amusement. Oreius caught the amused look Ardon gave him before the other Centaur's gaze flicked down to his right foreleg. He sighed as he realized there was naught he could say or do that would keep Ardon from relaying the tale of his encounter with Prince Corin to Alithia who would then share it with Katerina Alambiel. The only way to curb the exaggerated tale was to relate the event to Katerina Alambiel himself. He just hoped she was feeling well enough to laugh otherwise not only would she delightedly harass him, but he would also be scolded by Tuulea and Alithia for making Katerina Alambiel laugh.

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9 Yule 1006

Peridan let out a sigh as he walked through the marketplace, listening to the vendors hawking their wares, and taking in the familiar sights. But, to be honest, Anvard felt small and closed in after just six months of living in Cair Paravel. He couldn't even begin to imagine how the native Narnians were feeling, especially Oreius and Ardon. The late start to the negotiations with Zelaia meant they would not be able to depart from Anvard until at least the sixteenth or possibly even the seventeenth or eighteenth and Peridan had a hunch that the General would push them to a much faster pace in order to return home as soon as possible. He paused mid-step when he noticed General Oreius walking through the marketplace with the crowd easily parting before his imposing stature with the Centaur ignoring the whispers and stares as people turned to see the uncommon spectacle of a Centaur in Anvard.

Changing the angle of his path, Peridan angled his way toward the General. However, just as he drew close enough to hail him, he noted with surprise that General Oreius had stopped in front of a small booth that held various jewelry and trinkets. Peridan knew the booth and the jeweler who ran it well as he had purchased several trinkets for Marsalla from there, including a pair of emerald earrings she only wore on very special occasions; in fact, he had been there but the day before purchasing some Christmas gifts for Marsalla, Raisa, and even little Maisee. He drew a little closer as the General examined a necklace; from his earlier visit, Peridan recalled it had been a silver oval formed from twining knots that cradled a teardrop of amethyst. The jeweler had called it an elegantly understated piece that was perfect for the lady who preferred the understated look as opposed to a flashier display of jewels, which of course came with matching earrings. The jeweler seemed too nervous and surprised by his potential customer to give his pitch, but that didn't seem to matter as the General asked, "How much?"

Peridan didn't blame the jeweler for seeming a bit flustered as General Oreius looked at him impassively, "Oh, ah the necklace is thir-"

However, even Peridan was surprised when General Oreius interrupted, "No. How much for the set?"

The jeweler was only flustered for a minute though as the long-practiced drill of please the customer asserted itself, "W-well, in that case, the set is seventy-five shillings or twenty-five Narnian Lions. Would you like me to place the set in a case that will stand up to travel, sir?" It was a fairly hefty price, but General Oreius just nodded and the jeweler lifted first the necklace then the matching earrings from the display and nestled them into the lined box. As soon as he shut it, General Oreius set the required amount on the counter then picked up the box. If Peridan hadn't been looking right at him when he turned, he had no doubt he never would have seen the flicker of surprise when General Oreius saw him standing there. But, the Centaur didn't say a word just inclined his head slightly and walked past him as the crowd once again parted before him. The jeweler suddenly called out, "Sir! Sir, you have overpaid." The jeweler turned to Peridan, "Oh dear. Lord Peridan, you're with the Narnians now. Might you please inform the Centaur that he has overpaid, not even the box I chose was worth the five extra Lions! I wouldn't want him to think I used trickery or tried to take advantage of him being from Narnia."

Peridan opened his mouth to hail the General, who was not so far as to be unable to hear them, but then he paused. "Marin, consider it a bonus for excellent service. Good day." As the jeweler whispered a blessing upon the General for his generosity, Peridan smiled at Marin's three-year-old daughter who smiled around her thumb as she waved with the hand clutching her blanket from where she was peeking out the door to the back of Marin's booth.

Peridan quickly caught up to the General and decided to risk pushing the bounds of their newly established friendship, "Who are they for?"

General Oreius seemed a little surprised or perhaps even lost in thought, but then he looked at Peridan with the same stoic expression he was accustomed to seeing after six months of knowing the Centaur. "Katerina Alambiel."

Peridan nodded, somehow he was not as surprised by General Oreius' answer as he thought he might have been a few months ago. "Why?"

The General responded in a simple tone, "Because they suit her."

"Are you going to tell her soon then?"

General Oreius stopped walking and turned to look at Peridan, "Tell her what?"

Peridan also stopped, silently grateful they had already reached one of the more deserted streets of Anvard as he hesitated then clarified, "Are you going to tell the lady how you feel about her soon?"

Something flickered in the Centaur's dark eyes but then the stoic impassive look was back as he quietly responded, "She knows I value her friendship."

Peridan cleared his throat then gestured to a pale birch tree, its slender branches delicately covered in snow, "The first time I saw Marsalla, she was standing underneath that tree in high summer. It was autumn and the leaves had changed colors but not yet fallen when I saw her standing there and as she walked toward me, I had the sudden realization that I was in love with her." A glance at the Centaur's still-impassive face made Peridan wonder if he wasn't going to get himself left in Anvard by the end of this conversation, but then he forced himself to continue. "Oreius, the first time you told me about Sepphora, I honestly thought she was a Centauress because the way you talked about her was completely different from the way you spoke of anyone else. It surprised me greatly when you asserted that the Lady Katerina and Dame Sepphora were one and the same because I had thought I heard the kind of admiration tinged with love in your voice that I have heard in the voices of my brothers-in-law and in the voice of my own sister's husband just before he began to court her. I just wonder if or when you are going to tell her that you feel more than just friendship for her. For can you honestly say that your Katerina Alambiel is just a friend?"

General Oreius flicked his tail as he spoke in a calm unemotional voice, "Peridan, I would appreciate it if you did not attempt to infer or in any way interfere with my personal life. I already have Alithia for that...and Ardon when she forces him. Please do not speak of this again." Peridan nodded and the Centaur resumed walking toward the castle. However, Peridan had not missed the fact that Oreius had never once told him he was wrong. Marsalla just might have been right all along about the General simply being unaware of the true depth of his feelings where Dame Katerina Alambiel Sepphora was concerned...but Peridan didn't think the Centaur would be able to go much longer without examining those feelings now that he had pointed out what it looked like from the outside.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! So, this chapter was a bit of a challenge for me since I didn't have a lot of inspiration to work on it, but I finally made it. Please leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about Lune, Corin, and of course Oreius and Peridan's interesting encounter. Remember your reviews are what help inspire me to keep writing.**


	6. Chapter Five: WorriesLaughter&Suitors?

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Five: Worries, Laughter, and...Suitors?

5 Yule 1006

Susan hesitated then quietly knocked on the door. A slightly hoarse call to come in made her wonder if perhaps she should come back later, but then the choice was taken from her as the door was opened by the one person who should not be opening doors at that moment. Susan couldn't keep herself from scolding, "Oh Kat, you're not supposed to be out of bed yet. Tuulea and Alithia both said you have another week of extremely limited activity and mostly staying in bed."

Kat shrugged, "Well, you needed some encouragement to come in, so I'm offering it. Here I'll make it a bribe. You come in and tell me what's on your mind and I'll go sit on the bed again."

Susan opened her mouth to protest, but then she just stepped inside. After five years she knew Kat wouldn't sit until she agreed to tell her what was on her mind. She sighed a little then walked over to the lone chair in the bedroom and pulled it somewhat closer to the bed. Kat waited until she had taken her seat before she finally sat back down on her bed, "What's on your mind, Susan?"

Susan looked up then looked down at her hands, "You'll think I'm just being silly."

Kat suddenly leaned forward and lightly touched her hands, "Susan, tell me what's bothering you." Susan caught a glimpse of Kat's more serious side before the older woman smiled slightly and continued in a cheerful tone. "Because if you don't I shall have to start guessing like maybe there is a Duck with a lisp who is trying to take all the gooseberries hostage and he won't listen to reason or...or a Panda covered in pink and purple polka dots has come to file a complaint against the Chipmunks responsible for such tomfoolery...or-"

Susan held her hands up even as she fought back the urge to laugh as Kat effectively reminded her why she had been such a good friend to Lucy and their brothers in particular. "No more theories, Kat, please! I promise I'll tell you what's bothering me." Kat leaned back up, looking satisfied, before she motioned for Susan to continue. Susan sobered as she remembered what it was that had been troubling her. "Kat, I'm worried about Peter and Edmund. I know that Oreius and Ardon and Peridan and all the other soldiers are with them, but I'm still worried about the attack by the Werewolves. What if the Werewolves were just scouts? Or what if they've climbed into the pass between Archenland and Narnia and are waiting to ambush them when they come back? Maybe I'm over-thinking this, but what if the Werewolves were just testing them when they made that attack? And-"

Kat looked at her and Susan didn't see any mocking or teasing in her eyes. Instead, a simple understanding was present as the older woman nodded, "Yes, all those concerns may be valid. But, Susan, please don't worry overmuch. Both Sherket and Cletus have kept me in the loop and as far as our scouts can tell, the Werewolves have retreated beyond Caldron Pool. However, I shall inform the Kentauri that he needs to guilt your brothers into sitting down and writing you so you can be sure they're at least partially behaving themselves."

Susan smiled at the image Kat conjured of General Oreius guilting Peter and Edmund into writing her letters. In all likelihood, the Centaur would simply tell them she wanted letters and give them that frighteningly stern look she had seen him give them on the few occasions they tried to get out of a training exercise they didn't want to do. She was also relieved that Kat knew more than Captain Cletus had told her when she asked him two days ago. She looked up again when Kat suddenly giggled, "I think I know some news from Anvard that shall cheer you up immensely."

She shook her head slightly, not really knowing what Kat had in mind and silently wondering if she had somehow pulled a prank on Edmund after all. Kat paid no attention to her as she turned to search the table next to the bed, mumbling to herself when she didn't find what she was looking for, and then she abruptly flipped the multitude of pillows from the head of the bed to the foot. Susan's eyes widened when she saw the dagger that would usually be covered by a pillow, but then she acknowledged it was probably only typical for Kat, in particular, and for warriors, in general, to keep some type of weapon handy even when sleeping. She briefly wondered if Peter and Edmund kept daggers under their pillows, but then Kat grabbed a folded sheet...no three sheets of parchment. "Ah, here they are. Let's see, uh behave yourself, don't provoke anyone, blah, blah, blah, I swear the Kentauri occasionally acts like I am actively trying to cause diplomatic incidents." Susan chose to remain silent, partially because she still wasn't sure how much of Kat's antics were an act and partially because she didn't think Kat was completely aware that she was muttering loud enough for Susan to hear her. Kat shifted one of the pages behind the other two and then smiled, "Ah, yes this is one. Remember how Oreius has never actually crossed paths with Lune or the young Prince Corin?" Susan nodded, half-amused and half-afraid of what Kat was about to tell her because she just knew that dear precocious little Corin had somehow made a less than stellar impression on their General. "Well, it seems that little fact has been rectified…spectacularly. Oreius says that Lune was actually more measuring than boisterous in his initial greeting of him, but now that they've been there a bit longer, he's certain it was simply that Lune wasn't sure how to properly greet him. I really do need to see if I can't get Peridan to tell me what in the world the rumormongers in Anvard say about Oreius."

Susan silently mused that the rumors in Anvard was probably similar to some of the gossip her ladies-in-waiting would occasionally report, Oreius was a stern, serious, and stoic Centaur and a terrifyingly fierce warrior. Couple that with Anvard's general unfamiliarity with Centaurs and Susan wouldn't wonder if they made the General seem even more intimidating than he actually was. Of course, there were exceptions to his customary sternness such as when Kat provoked him into chasing her through the Cair until he was able to throw her in the nearest body of water. She also didn't miss the fact that Kat hadn't even mentioned Marsalla, but she was just glad the uneasy truce between Peridan and Marsalla and Kat was still holding up. Kat mumbled under her breath at something before she looked up at Susan and grinned, "Found it. According to Oreius, this is the factual accounting not whatever outrageous tale Ardon relays to Alithia. When Lune left them to find some paperwork, Corin burst into the room asking a hundred questions a minute and then once he realized Oreius and Ardon were in the room..." Kat paused and Susan wasn't sure whether or not she should have stayed home after all. "Corin asked another dozen or so questions of Oreius, specifically, and then he _wrapped_ himself around Oreius' right foreleg and continued asking questions."

Susan clapped her hand over her mouth as amusement warred with shock and then she met Kat's eyes, which were fairly dancing with her own suppressed laughter. They stared at each other for a moment and then a snicker escaped Susan. Kat pressed her lips together as she fought to keep from laughing. They looked away from each other, both struggling to maintain their composure, and then they met each other's gazes again. Susan giggled and then Kat threw her head back and laughed. Susan joined in her laughter. Kat didn't stop laughing until she had dissolved into another coughing fit while still giggling. Susan wiped away the tears from laughing so hard and gave Kat a concerned look, "Are you all right, Kat? Should I get Alithia?"

Kat smiled as she began folding the pages of the letter together again, "Only if you're going to ask her for Ardon's version of the event."

Another giggle slipped past Susan's lips before she could stop it. Kat ceased coughing before she could insist on fetching Alithia in the capacity of healer. Watching as Kat started tossing pillows back to the head of the bed, Susan finally asked, "Kat, why do you have so many pillows?"

Kat smiled, "The little Scátháin apparently went on a pillow hunt because they're under the impression it will help me get better faster. They want me to come and play in the snow with them again."

Susan smiled back at her and the nickname she had given Thane and Shane, Lucy had asked Oreius what it meant and he said the word meant 'Mirrors.' Kat really did have a mothering side. She deserved to have some children of her own...if only she would be willing to consider a suitor. "Excuse me?"

Susan felt her face heat as she realized she must have done the same thing Edmund would occasionally do and had spoken her thoughts without realizing it. Oh she hardly ever did that! She blushed scarlet at the inscrutable look Kat was giving her. "I just meant maybe you should consider letting some of your hopeful suitors actually...have a hope."

Kat gave her that inscrutable look again, but they were interrupted before Kat replied. Thane and Shane ran into the room, "Ala! Ala! Tell us 'nother story!" They scrambled on top of the bed and clasped their hands under their chins as they leaned against Kat's shoulders, "Pleeeeeeeeeeeease!" Susan stood and slipped out the door just as Kat nodded and the twins cheered. But, now she couldn't quite put aside the idea of matching Kat with a suitor who would have a better chance of actually earning her attention...her positive attention.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! So, Susan and Kat were feeling a little neglected and wanted the whole chapter to themselves. Next chapter back to Anvard and more Corin and Oreius interaction! Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter.**


	7. Chapter Six: First Questions, Then Plots

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Six: First Questions, then Plots

13 Yule 1006

Oreius scowled at the cloudy sky on the other side of the window. Snow was threatening, more correctly it was threatening to turn into a blizzard and they still weren't quite finished wrapping up negotiations when they should have already been on their way back to Narnia and Cair Paravel. "You know scowling at the weather is not going to allow us to leave Anvard any sooner, do you not?"

He gave Ardon a slightly annoyed look, "You know you are reminding me why I wasn't at all disheartened to lose you as a housemate when you married Alithia, do you not?"

Ardon chuckled, "At least Alithia likes me. Now, what has put a stone in your hoof?" His friend paused then teased, "Or should I ask _who_ has put a stone in your hoof?" Oreius looked past him to where Peridan was sitting, unwilling to admit to anyone not even his best friend that Peridan's question had been haunting him since he first asked it. _"For can you honestly say that your Katerina Alambiel is just a friend?"_

Oreius just shook his head, "It is nothing that needs your concerned attention, Ardon."

Ardon snorted but then the doors slammed open, causing all three of them to spin to face the doors as their hands went to their swords. For once, that seemed to give the young intruder pause as the warriors relaxed and re-sheathed their partially bared blades when they realized it was Prince Corin. Oreius almost sighed when to Ardon's vast amusement the young pest of a prince immediately hurried over to stand in front of him...not again. At least, the colt hadn't wrapped himself around his leg again. Instead, he began bouncing from foot to foot, "General Oreius! General Oreius! I gots another question!" That didn't surprise him. It seemed every time Prince Corin escaped his minders, he had another set of questions for him. He raised an eyebrow at the colt who was now simply hopping up and down in front of him. Prince Corin gave him a wide grin, once again showing off his three missing teeth. "My tutor says you watch stars. Why do you watch them? My tutor says you know what the stars talks about all the time. How do you know what they say? Do they talk lots and lots? Do they says what Thane and Shane are doing? Can you always and always talk to the stars?"

Oreius wasn't even given the chance to answer as Prince Corin suddenly darted to the settee next to him, scrambled up, and began bouncing on it as he continued rattling off questions. "Why is the Captain bigger than you? How much do you eat? Is it lots and lots? Do you box? Can you teach me to fight with a sword, oh and box? Do you know what Queen Susan sended for Christmas? She always sended something, but sometimes it's boring old clothes. King Edmund says Bears box in Narnia. Do you box with Bears? Do you win? You should win! You're the biggest one here 'cept for Captain Ardon. Do you fight the Fell lots and lots? Can I go with you when you go back to Narnia? I want to box the Fell! And, if I gots a sword for Christmas, you can teach me how to use it! Can you take me with you when you leave? Please! Please! Can I go? Can I? Can I go and box the Fell for you? That would help me be the bestest boxer in the world! I'm gonna be the bestest boxer ever, did you know? Bestest! Even better than Robinson Strongarm! He was the greatestest boxer in the North! Father told me about him! Do you know about him? Do you? He boxed everyone! He boxed a River God and won! And he knocked over an evil Giant! He was the greatestest, but I'm going to be the bestest! And he- Whoa!"

Oreius just managed to get his arms out in time to catch Prince Corin as he finally bounced his way right off the settee. Deciding it would be easier on everyone if Prince Corin's feet remained off the ground, Oreius quickly shifted the foal so it was easier to hold him. The young colt blinked at him and Oreius took advantage of brief moment of silence to answer at least one or two of his questions. "No, I do not know what Queen Susan sent you for Christmas. You'll find out when you open the presents. You cannot fight the Fell yet, you are still just a foal and therefore too young."

Prince Corin scowled at him, "I am almost as old as...as King Edmund when he first gotta fight the Fell."

Oreius raised an eyebrow at the precocious foal, "You are six. King Edmund was almost ten."

The foal frowned, "That's almost close." Oreius didn't say anything in reply as the foal suddenly grinned, "If I don't gets to fight the Fell, can you take me with you when you go back to Narnia? Can I? Please!"

Oreius shook his head, "No we cannot take you with us when we return to Narnia."

Prince Corin tilted his head sideways, both puzzled and disappointed, before he asked, "Why not? I want to go."

Oreius hesitated then he remembered how he had watched Katerina Alambiel gently turn down the request made by Paavo's niece years earlier when the little filly had wanted to come with them instead of staying home. He shifted the foal slightly, "Well, what about your father? You're each other's family and families are meant to be together for Christmas, correct?" Prince Corin nodded and Oreius continued, "Well, if you were to come with us back to Narnia, you would miss spending Christmas with your father. I think that would make him lonely and very sad. You don't want to make him sad, do you?"

Prince Corin shook his head vigorously, "No! No I don't wanna do that! I'll stay here with Father and make sure that he's not lonely or sad! I promise!" Oreius nodded solemnly and then the foal gave him a hopeful look, "But maybe I can come when it's not Christmas almost?"

"When the Four and your father agree you are ready, Prince Corin, I've no doubt that you shall come to Narnia." He silently made a mental note to make sure he wrested a promise out of Katerina Alambiel that she would help corral the young Prince instead of encouraging him...and Peridan's twin sons...to whatever mischief they might find.

Prince Corin barely had time to give a loud cheer before King Lune entered the room, "Corin lad! What are you doing in here when you should be abed? Causing more mischief, my lad? Sirs, I apologize on my son's behalf...again. General Oreius, if you might hand over the young scalawag, I shall take care of him personally." Prince Corin laughed as Oreius handed him to his father and King Lune swung him over his broad shoulder, "Come along, lad, it is high time you get off to bed. I'll tell you the story of how Robinson Strongarm knocked down a fearsome Giant so hard that the Giant created a lake and then you shall go right to sleep, my lad, right to sleep."

Oreius shook his head in slight amusement as he watched King Lune carry his giggling son out of the room. Ardon chuckled then he looked at Oreius, "You know, my friend, it certainly didn't escape anyone's attention that you avoided telling us what, or rather, who has put a stone in your hoof. So, are you going to tell us?"

He rolled his eyes. Honestly, there were times when Ardon could be just as nosy as Alithia. "Good night, Ardon, Peridan." Making the short walk back to his assigned quarters even shorter by taking longer strides than usual, Oreius was grateful to shut the door behind him. Since Anvard lacked any furniture truly designed with Centaurs in mind, the solution had been to dismantle the bed frame and shove two large mattresses together in order to create a bed large enough for a Centaur to sleep in comfortably. Not the best bed Oreius had ever slept in, but certainly not the worst either. Of course, the unprepared state of Anvard for the presence of the larger Narnians was one of the reasons the bull Elks had opted to stay in the stables with Philip for company, while Ihbari was sharing a room with Peridan of all people. With no reason for heightened alertness and his swords propped within easy reach, Oreius should have been able to sleep, but instead he once again found himself unable to rest peacefully rather than thinking about Katerina Alambiel and the conversation with Peridan. He sighed as he tucked his left arm behind his head. The line of questioning Peridan had opened was not one he wanted to explore...at least not while in Archenland...he didn't have time to explore it, but now that it had been mentioned, it refused to leave him alone. _"For can you honestly say that your Katerina Alambiel is just a friend?"_

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14 Yule 1006

Beira held up a single talon, for once clean of blood, as she repeated herself. "One week, Brutus, only one. Make sure you and your pack bring the sacrifice to the appointed place in one week and they had best be alive and preferably whole. Blood magic demands a high price and the more blood given, the less the price it will try to extract from us."

Brutus snarled at the Hag Matriarch, "I know. We will take the chosen sacrifice alive and whole. I will make sure of it."

Beira sneered at him, "Only if you can control your beta. Don't forget the bargain struck, Werewolf." Brutus growled at her once again reminding him of what he had been forced to pledge to strike the bargain necessary to bring Her back, but Beira was unfazed by his show of temper. "Remember, Werewolf, not even he would be able to help you in this plot because he doesn't practice blood magic. You need me. You need Beira, Matriarch of all Hags, if you want to bring our Mistress back this Winter Solstice...forget that and it will cost your plan and your mangy hide."

Brutus growled but when Beira raised her staff in warning, he knew he could press the Hag no further. With another, louder snarl, he stalked out the deep chamber and up to where the entrance to the Hag's cave, the nest for her coven, emerged behind the small frozen waterfall. He stopped before leaping to the large rock where his beta waited. Frome raised his head, testing the air before he asked, "Now, do we attack?"

Brutus nodded, "Yes." Frome started to turn but then Brutus tackled him, wrapping his hand around his throat, and baring his teeth scant inches from the grey Werewolf's face and throat. "Do not disobey my orders this time, Frome. We will steal the royal who shall be the sacrifice but we will not cause them to lose blood if we can keep from it. We need their blood, fresh, unwounded, do you understand?"

Frome gave a slight nod and Brutus held him down for several more moments before he allowed his beta to get back up. Frome glared at Brutus, "I still want my chance at that Centaur and his mate."

Brutus snarled in a gruesomely mocking version of a smile, "You shall receive your chance, Frome. However, take care not let an obsession lead you astray from your assignments." He listened in dark amusement as Frome began detailing how he would exact his revenge in precise detail. The Centaur, his mate (whoever she was), and the Four would soon be dead...just one more week until the Winter Solstice. Just one more week and it would all pay off.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! The bad guys are about to strike. Expect to be launched into more action in the next chapter or so. Also, the name of Corin's boxing idol is a nod to the greatest and third greatest boxers of all time (if you're not actually familiar with boxing, just google 50 Greatest Boxers of All Time list). Any guesses as to who they are (without peeking first)? Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	8. Chapter Seven: A Snowy Ride Part One

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Seven: A Snowy Ride, Part One

16 Yule 1006

Katerina smiled as she watched Thane and Shane trying to coax their mother into allowing them to accompany the Queens on their ride. Marsalla shook her head and led her youngest sons from the room. Katerina looked at Lucy, "I'm still amazed we managed to convince Susan to come with us today."

Lucy giggled, "I know, but since we haven't even reached Winter Solstice yet, she's willing to come for a short outing."

Katerina raised an eyebrow at Lucy, "You didn't tell her our destination, did you?"

Lucy gave her an impish grin and shook her head as they walked back to Katerina's quarters. "No, but Susan wants to come anyway so she can talk to you without interruption."

Katerina suppressed a sigh since she knew Susan was most likely wanting to question her further about the whole accepting suitors nonsense. If anyone she was remotely interested in ever tried to court her, then she would at least consider allowing him to pursue her. But no one ever had, so she didn't...of course, she had never thought about who she would be remotely interested in but that was beside the point. Katerina was suddenly grateful that Alithia was unable to join them...but if Caia joined them, she would have to be very clear about not wanting any of the suitors who had tried in the past because she knew Tuulea would be able to pry it out of Caia if she ever showed any hint of interest in someone. And, Tuulea in her matchmaking mode was quite simply terrifying. Lucy pulled open her wardrobe and looked inside, "Kat, are you going to come to the ball this Christmas?"

Katerina shrugged as she idly ran her fingers across her cloaks, "I haven't made my final decision yet." Never mind that she had never gone to one of the Christmas balls for one reason or another, but with Lucy looking up at her, she couldn't bring herself to make a flat-out refusal. She was such a pushover at times.

Lucy suddenly reached into the back of her wardrobe and pulled one of the most elaborate formal gowns out. The dress was without a doubt one of Tuulea's most beautiful designs for her, but Katerina had never seen a reason to wear it or the three other gowns of equal beauty and elaborate formalness. Lucy smiled at her, "If you come, you should wear this one. You'll look so pretty."

Katerina gently took the dress from Lucy and placed it back where she had hidden the most formal gowns behind all her other clothes, "I'll...think about it, Lucy."

Lucy cheered, "Oh how wonderful. You're going to have so much fun at the ball, Kat! Oh, but we need to go meet Susan in the courtyard. Come on, grab your cloak and let's go!" Katerina didn't even have time to wonder how Lucy had interpreted a promise to think about going into meaning that she had agreed to go. Instead, she grabbed one of her cloaks and quickly pulled it on, barely registering that she had grabbed the cloak that had once been Oreius' as she raced after Lucy.

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Frome snarled as he watched the Narnians below moving about their camp. He had gathered a third of the pack and once again scouted the pass leading from Narnia to Archenland, waiting for the Human whelps to return to Narnia so they could capture one of them. Frome would have preferred taking the dark one since he was the one who turned on their Mistress, but whichever one they could capture would do. Still, he felt Brutus was keeping part of the plan to himself. He scraped his nails against a boulder, leaving deep furrows in the ice. There were too many Narnians below that could easily chase and fight them when the whelps made their appearance with that Centaur...

Frome didn't even flinch as the wind shifted directions; after over two weeks using the Hag's spell, he knew with certainty that the Narnians wouldn't smell him or his brethren Werewolves. He snarled silently then turned to the fourth of the pack who was patiently waiting for Frome to issue orders; the third had remained with Brutus serving as beta while Frome was gone. "Let's hunt."

The fourth pulled his lips back, baring his teeth in a macabre smile, as he nodded then raced to alert the others. Frome leapt over the boulder in front of him landing in the snowdrift below just in front of several of his Werewolves. They immediately followed as Frome charged through the snow, leaping over boulders when necessary as they raced toward the Narnians. The thrill of rushing toward the unsuspecting enemy coursed through him, but it was nothing compared to the ecstasy that came when the Faun archer closest to him finally turned and saw him for the first time as he leapt upon him, relishing the taste of warm blood as his jaws clamped down on his prey's throat. All around him, Werewolves attacked the Narnians leaving a wake of brutal and deadly damage. Frome howled in triumph before he attacked a Cougar. This was the most fun he had had in two years, and as he carved a deep set of wounds into the flank of one of the Centaurs, he could only imagine how much more satisfying it would be to do the same sort of damage to that Centaur _after_ he had ripped the heart from his still-breathing mate.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, starting to get to the real heart of the story. I will post the next chapter either tonight or tomorrow. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one and if you would like the next chapter tonight or tomorrow. Remember your reviews inspire me to write faster.**


	9. Chapter Eight: A Snowy Ride Part Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Eight: A Snowy Ride, Part Two

Susan sighed as she rode further from the Cair with Lucy and Kat. She had been trying for the last two hours to find an opportunity to ask Kat about actually giving at least some of her suitors a chance. Most of their guard had fanned out into a larger circle allowing them a little more privacy with only Caia trotting next to them. She looked over at where Kat was now riding quietly, though she had caught her glancing toward the South in the precise direction of the pass to Anvard several times in the last two hours, and decided she would have no better time than that moment. "Kat, what about Soren?"

Lucy and Caia both looked from Susan to Kat in surprise, but Kat didn't even look away from where she was now staring intently at the space between her horse's ears. "He is happily married to a sweet baker's daughter as of two months ago."

Susan frowned briefly, wondering why she didn't have that information when she usually did, but she put it aside for the moment and focused on her present task as she shifted through her mental list of the potential suitors who she thought might possibly have a chance with Kat if she were just a tiny bit more open to the idea. "Well, what about Marrek? He is a scholar and you would be able to find something to talk about with him. You might find something in common with him."

Kat shook her head, "No."

"Why not?"

Kat seemed to shift a little in the saddle before she droned, "Marrek has the personality of dust, he doesn't talk to people, he talks at or down to them, and his voice sounds like a broken flute reed with dust in it. It drives me nuts when I have to listen to him for an hour. I would probably strangle him if I had to listen to him any longer than that torturous hour. Or I could just wait for a good stiff breeze to blow through and snap him...he's scrawny enough for that to happen."

Susan giggled at Kat's description. All right, definitely not Marrek...she didn't really like him herself either but had hoped maybe Kat had pulled his better side to the fore when she had occasionally been trying to avoid his interest. Shifting her list again, Susan tried to think of another potential suitor. "What about Cullen?"

Kat shook her head, "There was a report a couple weeks ago that he had been eaten by a Dragon far to the south of Calormen a few months back. Probably spent too much time prancing about in his sparkly outfits and was mistaken for a giant diamond which turned into lunch."

Susan, Caia, and Lucy all giggled at Kat's deadpan tone. It was rather amusing and soon Susan found herself mentioning some of the more ridiculous suitors who had unsuccessfully tried to court Kat just to get Kat's reaction. "Gruger?"

"The man who makes up five of me at last check? Really? No."

"Sebastian?"

"He smells like dead squid...even when he hasn't been to sea in months. You would actually try to torment me with him?"

Lucy suddenly chimed in with one of the better suggestions, "Dingwall?"

Kat just shook her head, "No. Just no. A rock would be a better conversationalist than him and when he does speak even I don't understand a word that comes out of his mouth. Nope, not going to happen."

Susan and Lucy exchanged a glance and then Susan teasingly asked, "What about Cassius?"

Kat laughed at that one, "The clueless wonder who spends too much time chasing every single Nymph he can even if they have rejected him multiple times and making bets on whether or not they'll go with him to any given event? Not if he was the last male in all the worlds. I do not respect the Faun Cassius, how could I ever consider an offer of courtship from him?"

Susan readily conceded the point about Cassius but then she wondered if a more Narnian scholar, one Kat would respect, would be the solution. She named the first bachelor scholar that came to mind even though he was rarely at the Cair, but he had been a student of Stonebrook in the past. "Have you ever considered Connell?"

Kat turned to look at her, "You mean the Centaur Connell?"

Susan nodded and then, to her surprise, Caia spoke up, "Connell would never ask Dame Sepphora to consider a personal relationship. He doesn't see her that way." Kat shrugged then she urged her horse to a slightly quicker trot, pulling ahead of their little knot. Caia fell back slightly so she was keeping pace with Susan, "Pardon my interruption, your majesty, but might I suggest we include the expert opinions of Alithia and Tuulea where Dame Sepphora's personal life is concerned? They probably know more than we do."

She nodded her agreement, while mentally scolding herself for being so silly as to not ask the matchmakers before leaving the Cair. Her only excuse was that she had been extremely preoccupied with leaving the orders for decorating the Cair with her most capable ladies-in-waiting, Deianeira and Marsalla leading them, so it actually slipped her mind that she wanted to talk to Tuulea about Kat and suitors. Looking at where Kat was checking with Lieutenant Alaois who was leading their guard...technically.

Of course, she wasn't given very long at all to ponder who would make the best match truly for Kat because Lucy suddenly laughed, "We're here! We're here! Come on, Susan, Kat."

Susan quickly called out, "Lucy, wait! Wait for us!" She grumbled as she swung down from her horse, "Not again." Lucy, of course, paid no heed to her as her excitement wrapped her into a warm, cheerful, and friendly blur of movement as she called out to the small community living in the shelter of the forest framing the southernmost end of the River Rush. Susan still found herself smiling as she watched Lucy happily chattering first with a family of Squirrels then with a pair of Robins then a young Faun and his grandfather. Caia and Kat had both stopped to talk to the lone Centaur family, carpenters by trade, though Susan noticed that Kat was standing at a slight angle so she could keep Lucy in her line of sight.

She smiled a little wider as she walked back to the packhorse and two archers helped her begin untying the bundles of food and toys they had brought with them. Officially, it was a gesture of thanks from the Royal household, but unofficially it was a way for the Queens to make sure their people were all being taken care of in a way that would not hurt anyone's pride. Susan loved being able to do something to help as she handed a small stuffed doll to a young Nymph who had been hiding behind her Naiad mother's blue, slightly watery looking skirts, which prompted the shy little darling to run out from behind her mother and throw her arms around Susan's legs just below her knees in a tight hug before scampering back to the safety of her mother's skirts with the doll clutched close. She looked at Lucy who was giggling and happily chattering with two young Squirrels, a Rabbit, and three young Fauns, and then she saw Kat cradling a very tiny Nymph who was only a few weeks old with the softest expression in her eyes Susan had ever seen even as she spoke with the babe's parents, a Satyr and Nymph. The sight just confirmed Susan's thoughts that Kat needed to settle down and have her own family. But, she wouldn't make any more suggestions, in jest or in sincerity, until she conferred with Alithia and Tuulea.

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A faint, sharp cry prompted Frome to turn from the still body of a Boar and look at the sky. He snarled in frustration as he spotted the outlines of two Gryphons coming fast toward the border outpost. He and his Werewolves had nearly broken the entire camp, wounding all and killing more than a few of the Narnians. But, that would mean nothing when the Gryphons summoned patrols to the outpost. He raised his muzzle, once grey but now stained completely red with the blood of his prey, and howled. His still living brethren immediately pulled away from their vicious attacks on the Narnians and followed him as he raced away from the carnage that was only a taste of what he would do once She was brought back.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one. I shall try to post another chapter tomorrow. Until then, Merry Christmas to all!**


	10. Chapter Nine: Alarm Raised

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Nine: Alarm Raised

"Your majesties, have you-" Oreius paused as he noticed King Edmund rummaging frantically through his packs while the High King was nowhere to be seen. "King Edmund?"

The dark colt looked up, "Oreius?"

He raised an eyebrow at the clothing, parchments, and a small travel-sized writing set that were strewn across the bed. "Is aught the matter?"

King Edmund hesitated and rubbed the back of his neck, but King Peter returned just as Oreius was about to press the colt for an answer. King Edmund scowled at his brother, "Where've you been? We're supposed to meet with King Lune and Lord Edur of Zelaia in five minutes to sign the final copies of the treaty. What's that in your hand?"

Oreius remained silent as the High King briskly shoved the wooden box into his own travel packs and quickly replied, "Just a last minute gift I needed to get. Why are the contents of your travel packs all over your bed?"

King Edmund darted a questioning look at Oreius then turned back to his brother as he started shoving things back into his pack, "I thought you said you already had all your gifts for the girls. And, they're all over the bed because Kat sent a note saying that I might want to check my packs carefully before leaving Anvard." Oreius hid a smirk at how Katerina Alambiel was exacting her revenge on King Edmund by playing head games with him as the colt scowled at the crumpled remains of the note.

King Peter chuckled, "She got you good, Ed. And, this gift isn't for the girls. Now come on, we can't be late for the meeting. General Oreius, would you accompany us?"

Oreius inclined his head in silent acquiescence, following as King Edmund quickly caught up with his brother, "Then who's it for? Peter, who is it for if not the girls? Kat?"

The High King chuckled, "No, it's not for Kat. It's for someone else."

Something in King Peter's voice made Oreius curious. Was he perhaps smitten with one of the fillies he's met in the past few months? Several countries had attempted to coax the High King into entering a marriage with one of their princesses, but to Oreius' knowledge and the times he had witnessed the interaction between the High King and those ladies, none had caught King Peter's eyes. They reached the council room before King Edmund could question his brother further. Oreius put aside both the mild curiosity over King Peter's words and the still lingering question that had once again prevented him from sleeping. Lord Edur was a slender man with a shock of bright red hair standing straight up on his head, but he was very quiet as he bowed twice to both Kings before simply asking, "We are prepared?"

Oreius watched as the three kings and the high-ranking lord from Zelaia formally signed the newest treaty between Narnia and Zelaia as witnessed by Archenland. It would have to be revisited in within the next two years and Oreius knew one of the clauses dictated that either the Four or some of their highest-ranking representatives would have to go to Zelaia in a show of willingness to cooperate fully. Lord Edur bowed to each of the kings and then left the room. He hadn't been gone a full minute when Prince Corin bounced into the room. "Father! Father! Lord Peridan says Thane and Shane miss me! Can we go play with them?"

King Lune immediately grinned as he scooped his son into his arms for a bear hug, "Slow down, lad! When do you want to go see Thane and Shane? I do not think the Four would want us to merely appear unannounced and uninvited."

Oreius barely resisted the urge to sigh as he could already envision the sheer pandemonium that he was certain would follow in the wake of having all three young foals in the same place at once, no matter how much forewarning they had. Prince Corin frowned in thought then he crowed, "As soonest as possible! King Peter! King Edmund! When will it be as soonest as possible? After Christmas?"

Oreius watched his two Kings exchange looks before the High King smiled, "I'm afraid we cannot set a specific date for your visit, Corin, without first consulting with Queen Susan. She'll know the perfect dates for you to visit, knowing Susan it will probably be in the spring or summer."

King Lune nodded, but Prince Corin looked disgruntled. However, the young colt never had the chance to protest as the air was shattered by three hoarse, rasping screams sounding in quick succession. _Kree-ee-ar! Kree-ee-ar! Kree-ee-ar!_ They all whipped around to see a large Red-Tailed Hawk swoop in through the window that had been opened to allow the smoke from the Zelaian lord's pipe to clear the room. Oreius recognized the Hawk as Skeat who had been stationed at the border outpost. Skeat flapped his wings once as he hopped across the meeting table, speaking in clipped, harsh tones, "General! Your Majesties! The outpost has been attacked by the Fell!"

The Narnians immediately launched into action. King Peter bowed his head to King Lune, "I'm afraid we shall have to cut our visit short, your majesty. But, you have our thanks for being such a gracious host."

King Lune set his son down then yanked both King Peter and King Edmund into a tight bear hug before he asked in utter seriousness, "Will you need aid with the defense of your outpost? I can send two battalions of my finest troops with you."

Oreius looked at Skeat, "Is the attack ongoing?"

The Hawk flapped his wings in agitation at his own report, "No, General! Two Gryphons approached and the Fell broke off their attack."

Oreius nodded, "Your majesties, we will be able to reach the outpost no later than this evening if we leave within the hour and we can travel faster with our current number than if we await more troops."

The brothers exchanged looks then nodded. King Edmund bowed slightly to King Lune, "We thank you for the generous offer, but as our General has pointed out we will be faster with our own numbers and it seems this is a case for speed rather than greater numbers. We shall be leaving within the hour."

King Lune laid a large hand on Prince Corin's small shoulder, holding the young colt still, as he bowed, "Aslan's protection upon thee, my friends, and thy people."

The Kings bowed and replied in unison, "And upon thee and thine, our friend." Oreius raised his arm and Skeat immediately moved to perch on his forearm, allowing him to carry the Hawk as he continued reporting as many details as possible. Oreius did not like the suspicion he had that the Werewolves who attacked the outpost were the same ones that had been reported to flee past Cauldron Pool, but he couldn't shake it.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, little bit of a filler chapter, but more action and fighting in the next chapter, which should be longer as well. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	11. Chapter Ten: Healing Sought

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Ten: Healing Sought

Susan shook her head at Lucy, "No we can't all continue on. I have to get back and make sure at least one of us is at the Cair during the rest of the preparations for all the festivities planned for Christmas week."

Kat gave her an amused look, "Susan, your army of decorating minions will be fine for another day."

Susan struggled to keep herself from giggling at Kat's comments, but still she couldn't stay much longer. She nodded more to herself than anyone else as she decided she could accompany Lucy and Kat to the smallest settlement near Glasswater but only long enough to finish delivering their gifts...and to make sure there weren't any weavers about to take their revenge on Kat for the incident with the Ogres running through and demolishing the guild house. Of course, she couldn't allow Kat to get away with referring to her amazingly helpful and skilled ladies-in-waiting and other volunteers as her decorating minions. She opened her mouth to tell Kat just that, but then they heard a Gryphon giving voice to the distinctive cry of its kind.

Every eye turned to the sky. Susan felt a frisson of fear when she heard Caia mutter to Kat, "It is Tila." Tila had been with her brothers' party. Why was she here instead of at Archenland? They hadn't planned to leave Anvard for another day, according to their last letter. Her fingers tightened imperceptibly on her horse's reins. Thank Aslan, she was wearing gloves otherwise she was certain her white knuckles would have been obvious to everyone.

The Gryphon shrieked as she circled above them before finally landing just in front of where Kat sat on her horse with Caia and Alaois on either side of her. Susan exchanged a look with Lucy and then they both urged their horses forward to hear what the Gryphon had to say. Tila sounded breathless, but since all Gryphons sounded that way when they weren't in flight it wasn't a reliable indicator of how far she had flown. "Dame Sepphora, my Queens, the border outpost has been attacked by Fell! Werewolves apparently surprised the garrison there even though the General had left a number of soldiers there before he and the Kings continued on to Anvard. There are many wounded and some dead. I was sent to fetch Queen Lucy and her cordial."

Susan let out a little gasp, but she allowed Kat to question the Gryphon. The older woman sounded stern and there was no hint of her typical humor and sarcasm in her voice. "Is the attack on going? And have the Kings and General Oreius been alerted to the situation?"

"The attack ceased as soon as Atho and I approached the outpost. One of the Hawks stationed at the outpost, Skeat, carried the news to Anvard while I came to find the Valiant Queen."

Kat nodded then twisted in her saddle to give Lucy a firm look, "Speed and time is of the essence, but if the outpost is not secured, Tila will not let you down."

Lucy and Tila both nodded, and Susan knew the Gryphon had taken Kat's words as the orders of a superior officer. One of the Faun archers took the reins of Lucy's horse as she scrambled down and hurried toward Tila. The Gryphon tilted her head, "To Cair Paravel first, my Queen?"

Lucy shook her head as she pulled her cloak to the side, revealing the diamond cordial resting securely in its red belt around her waist. "Let's get to the outpost as quick as possible."

Susan felt her heart climb back into her throat as Lucy settled herself on Tila's back and then the Gryphon shot back up into the sky. Tila must have been flying as fast as possible because it seemed hardly any time had passed before the Gryphon and the slight bump on her back that was Lucy were fast dwindling into a mere spot to the south and slightly west of their position. She looked at Kat just as Caia whispered, "Illusin was assigned to the border outpost."

Kat briefly touched the Centauress on the shoulder, "I'm sure he's fine, Caia. You'll see him for Christmas just as you planned." Caia nodded and then Kat turned to Susan, "We should decide now whether to head back to the Cair or to continue to the village. Lucy will be safe with the soldiers, and knowing the Kentauri, he and the boys will already be on their way to the outpost."

One part of Susan wanted to rush back to the Cair and hope against logic that she would find her siblings safe and happy in the safety of their home. Another part of Susan wished that they had brought a Gryphon with them, so she could have gone with Lucy and made sure she stayed safe. But, the logical part of her mind knew both scenarios were impossible and impractical. She knew what she needed to do in order to do what was best for her people. She took a steadying breath then smiled with a serenity she didn't quite feel, "We shall finish the rounds for the day. After all, we are close enough to the village that it would be rather silly to turn around now. Randy, please help Thomas redistribute the remaining packages to Queen Lucy's horse so we don't cause any undue alarm to any cousins who might see our party before we reach the village." The two archers made quick work of following her instructions and then Kat nodded to Alaois who gave the command for their now smaller party to move out. Susan glanced to the south and west as she breathed a prayer for Aslan to protect Lucy from harm and to allow her sister to bring the healing magic of the cordial to the outpost in time to save as many of the wounded soldiers as possible. Aslan willing, nothing else would occur to bring harm to her siblings or their people.

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Brutus growled low in his throat as he watched the smallest Royal being carried away by a Gryphon. He had wanted to capture the littlest one because she would have been easier to drag to the appointed place for the sacrifice, but now that was impossible. He also didn't like the fact that they had flown in the direction of the pass to Archenland and the outpost... He snarled silently as he contemplated whether he would have to kill his second before the ceremony occurred. He should have sent his third to accompany Frome. Frome had too much influence over the fourth. He watched as the Narnians resumed traveling, his dark mind quickly developing a new plan, one that even his reckless second would be unable to ruin. Before night fell, he would have the sacrifice in his grasp.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, all the key players are getting ready to be where they need before everything turns to chaos. Any guesses as far as Brutus' new plan? More chapters coming soon. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one. **


	12. Chapter Eleven: Setting the Board Part 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Eleven: Setting the Board, Part One

Oreius noted with approval that the Kings each kept one hand near the pommel of their swords even as they galloped through the snow toward the outpost. After all, there was no way to be certain that the Werewolves who had attacked the outpost would not attempt another attack and this time on their small party. Ihbari and Skeat both scouted the terrain ahead with frequent sweeps of the sides of the pass and also taking turns to drop back and ensure their party was not being followed. Oreius silently counted the miles...they were still too many for them to reach the outpost as swiftly as he would have preferred. Peridan was sticking close to the Kings while Ardon stayed on Oreius' left. For speed, they had left the pack horses at Anvard. But...it still wouldn't allow them to reach the outpost any sooner and Skeat had been unable to say for sure who was among the dead and who was among the injured as he had been sent almost immediately to carry word to them. And, he knew the names of every soldier currently stationed at the border outpost...in addition to the soldiers attached to their party whom he had ordered to remain at the outpost.

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Frome bared his teeth in a silent snarl as the fourth crept up next to him, "The Alpha will be displeased that we didn't find the dark one."

He struck the fourth hard, his claws ripping through the meaty part of the slightly smaller Werewolf's shoulder. "The Alpha will listen to his Beta before he listens to the fourth of our pack! Unless you wish to challenge me for my position."

The fourth flattened his ears and crouched to bring his head down below Frome's, "No, Beta."

Frome snarled then loped past the rest of the group who had stopped to watch with eagerness at the possibility of a fight. The fourth was right that Brutus would be displeased with Frome's choice, but it wasn't the dark one that his Alpha wanted anyway. Leading his group to the area where they would meet with Brutus and the rest of the pack and possibly the chosen sacrifice, Frome relished the memory of tearing into the Narnians, particularly the Centaurs. Not much longer until he had his revenge on that Centaur and his mate and the return of their great mistress...so much chaos and blood would result...he couldn't wait.

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Susan took care never to let her smile slip as she spoke with elders, children, new parents, and of course weavers. She tried to keep from glancing toward the southwest more often than she should. Of course, Caia was also having difficulty keeping her eyes from straying in the direction of the border outpost, which was why Susan specifically requested the Centauress' aid in distributing gifts and food. She sighed when she noticed several weavers giving Kat less than friendly glances...apparently they still hadn't quite forgiven her for the time she accidentally roused the Ogres who subsequently crashed their way through the weavers' guild house.

Kat noticed them at about the same time and conveniently preoccupied herself with adjusting the saddle straps on her horse. Susan breathed a little sigh of relief when she realized Kat wasn't going to entertain herself by purposefully antagonizing the weavers of Glasswater...probably because Oreius wasn't around to interfere on her behalf. Susan glanced back to the southwest and wondered if Tila and Lucy had already reached the outpost and whether or not they were safe and had arrived in time to prevent any more lives from being lost to the attack. She prayed it was so and that Peter and Edmund were there to protect Lucy from any harm. Susan shivered suddenly and looked over her shoulder. The fine hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end before the sensation of being watched vanished again. She couldn't see anything beyond her guard and the villagers, and no one else was acting as though they sensed anything amiss. Susan shivered again and pulled her warm, fur-lined cloak closer to her body...it was probably just her mind trying to play tricks on her because of her worry over her siblings.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Chapter Twelve will probably be up tonight if my muse gets reinspired by some lovely reviews. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	13. Chapter Twelve: Setting the Board Part 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Twelve: Setting the Board, Part Two

Brutus barely suppressed his overwhelming desire to simply attack the Narnians as they prepared to leave the settlement. One of the younger members of the pack started forward, but Brutus stopped him with a snarl, "Not yet." His pack bared their teeth in silent snarls but they all crouched low and hung back as they resumed following the Narnians at a distance. Just a little longer. Yes, just a little while longer.

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The outpost was surrounded by red snow. Oreius carefully kept his face impassive even as he heard the Kings gasp. Peridan was frowning but the man's years of experience as a soldier revealed themselves as Peridan gave no other visible sign of his feelings. Ihbari screamed their arrival as he landed close to the large pavilion that had been raised and two other Gryphons replied, Atho and Tila. The Kings immediately swung down out of their saddles. Oreius ordered Ardon and Peridan to lead the check of the perimeters and distribute their soldiers where needed before he followed the Kings into the large pavilion, which was obviously serving as a healer's wing.

Oreius pulled aside the flap covering the pavilion's entrance, allowing the Kings to enter first. To his surprise, they had no sooner entered the pavilion than they heard a cry, "Peter! Edmund!" The Valiant Queen quickly flung her arms around first King Peter and then King Edmund before she pulled back, "We only got here a few minute ago and there's so much to do. We'll have to talk when I finish. Thank Aslan, I thought to bring my cordial with me on our ride." The Valiant Queen dashed back to another bed and once again began administering the life-giving cordial of fire flower juice.

The Kings and Oreius moved through the tent, each taking the time to stop beside the wounded soldiers. Even if he had not been aware of the Werewolves' responsibility, Oreius would have known the moment he got a look at the wounds. There were far more soldiers wounded than dead, which was a small blessing Nevertheless, there were still far more casualties, both wounded and dead, than there should have been from an attack by Werewolves. It looked as though the Fell had somehow managed to take the garrison by complete surprise. He halted by one bed, "Illusin." The lieutenant was in bad shape with deep lacerations to the left side of his chest and back in addition to having the bones in both forelegs twisted and places crushed...without the cordial, Illusin would be crippled if he even survived his wounds.

The other Centaur looked gray in spite of having his mother's bronze skin tone as he opened his eyes, "General."

Oreius carefully placed a hand on Illusin's unwounded shoulder, "Caia is going to kill you when she finds out about this one."

Illusin smirked, "I'll just have to use my scars to my advantage." He grimaced then grew serious, "We didn't know the Werewolves were there until they attacked. It was as if they didn't exist until we could see them. A spell-" He broke off coughing just as the Valiant Queen ran up with her life-preserving cordial in hand.

Oreius stepped back as his youngest Queen administered the cordial. He hardly paid attention though as the cordial worked and Illusin's wounds were healing. Moving through the tent, he stopped and listened to those who were conscious as they relayed their personal recollections of the Fell attack. Again and again, the soldiers mentioned the seeming non-existence of the Werewolves until they turned and either saw the Werewolf springing at them or turned and saw Werewolves attacking their fellow soldiers. Oreius hid a scowl as he turned over the information again and again, but the whole scenario had the feel of dark magic. But, Werewolves did not possess any true affinity for magic...they could have another sorcerer or...or perhaps a Hag, a very old and very powerful Hag, had joined forces with the Werewolves. Either way, Oreius hoped Katerina Alambiel and the Gentle Queen were keeping out of trouble. Though he would have to wait until the Valiant Queen finished administering the cordial before he and the Kings would be able to question her thoroughly on the circumstances under which she arrived at the border outpost.

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Katerina Alambiel glanced over at Susan but she was seemingly focused solely on urging her mount to continue at a steady pace. Upon taking their leave of the village, which had not been enforced by pitchforks to the relief of everyone, Katerina had suggested they intersect with one of the patrols who were scheduled to be within ten miles south of the village in a few hours and send them to aid in securing the outpost. Even though their lack of any winged Narnians meant they all had to make the detour further south, Susan had quickly agreed and Katerina had also seen Caia send her a grateful glance as they left the village. Everyone was worrying about their loved ones and friends whom they knew to be at the outpost and it was a sobering truth that there had already been casualties due to the nature of the attack, but they still wouldn't know for some time as to how many lives had been lost. She frowned slightly as the wind picked up causing her horse to prance nervously, but a quick check with the others confirmed there was no sign of any danger. Still, something didn't feel right...but she couldn't identify what it was that troubled her.

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Brutus peeled his lips back in a wicked imitation of a grin and then he growled, "Now." He and his pack charged the Narnian party, which was still unaware that they would lose many and then one would be used to bring back Her, the true queen who would restore the Werewolves to the powerful position they had held only six years prior to the start of the usurpers' reign. Still unaware, but not for more than a few heartbeats more.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, next chapter shall feature some significant Werewolves vs Narnians action. Remember your reviews inspire me to write even faster. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Ambush

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Thirteen: Ambush

Susan let out an involuntary scream as a Werewolf suddenly crashed into one of the Faun archers just in front of her horse. Not even a heartbeat later, two more Werewolves slammed into guards. As Kat shouted orders, Susan automatically reached for her bow only to groan in frustration as her fingers closed on naught but air. She had been in such a rush to leave the Cair that morn that she had forgotten to bring her bow and quiver.

Her horse reared and nearly unseated her as two Werewolves snapped at the horse's legs. Susan held on to the saddle and the horse's mane with all her strength. One of the Werewolves fell with an arrow in its throat and then the Leopard Ptah tackled the other Werewolf away from her. The Narnians did their best to form a protective circle but Werewolves were still appearing right before or as they tackled the soldiers. Susan's horse reared again and she was thrown past one of the archers to land in a snow bank.

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Brutus snarled as he leapt on a Satyr and made quick work of him. His scarred muzzle wrinkled as he spotted an old enemy fighting one of the younger pack members...until she killed the reckless pup. _Soon, Alambiel, your time comes soon._ He snarled as he reluctantly turned away from her and searched for the one he wanted. He didn't howl when he spotted his prey. No, he wouldn't give his approach away. It was far more fun to see the terror in his prey's eyes when he merely appeared.

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Katerina whirled away from the outstretched claws of one Werewolf just as Caia shot him. The Centauress glared fiercely at the fallen Fell before she lashed out with her hind legs, crushing the skull of the Werewolf who had attempted to hamstring her. Katerina gave Caia a little more space so the Centauress could continue taking out as many Werewolves as possible with vicious efficiency. _Note to self: Never resemble the guilty party when Caia's upset. P.S. Keep Caia on my side._ Katerina stiffened suddenly as she spotted Susan's horse...riderless. There were at least three Werewolves for every soldier still standing, but she couldn't see Susan in the mix. She needed to find Susan...

"Reform the line! Drive them back!" She shouted the orders over and over again even as she fought her way closer to where she had last seen Susan. She knew Susan didn't have her bow and quiver with her, but Katerina hoped she at least had a dagger and that she had a soldier or two with her.

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Susan scrambled back to her feet; so far, none of the Werewolves had noticed her vulnerable position but that could change at any moment. She plunged her hand into a nearly invisible slash in her skirts, which hid a dagger, the design had been Kat's idea as she and Tuulea discussed the best way for Lucy to hide the extra dagger that had been a birthday present from Kat. Kat had then suggested that at least three of Susan's riding skirts be given the same adjustment, at the time Susan had protested but Kat had gone around her and a few weeks later four new riding skirts with the adjustment had appeared in her wardrobe. Kat had also given her a lightweight but sturdy dagger. Susan now found herself infinitely grateful that Kat had insisted on her taking a dagger as her fingers tightened around its hilt just as a Werewolf knocked a Faun archer down. Susan threw the dagger at the Werewolf. She was not Lucy or Kat, she wasn't an expert at throwing knives, but the Lion blessed her throw as the dagger hit the Werewolf in the shoulder, knocking him off balance.

Susan ran forward, snatching up the bow that had fallen from the Faun archer's grasp, and swung the bow with all her might at the wounded Werewolf's head. The Werewolf fell back even further with a sharp yelp. Susan crouched and grabbed an arrow from the quiver. Now, she was in _her_ element. _Aslan, let my arrow fly true._ She loosed the arrow, which flew straight and true until it hit the Werewolf in the throat...a kill shot.

Ignoring the risk as the Werewolves and Narnians continued fighting around her, Susan dropped to her knees beside the fallen archer. She rolled him over gently and gasped. It was Randy...and he had passed to Aslan's Country. Without pausing to allow herself time to question her actions, Susan unbuckled the quiver, still more than half full of arrows, and slung it over her own head and shoulder. She didn't bother to buckle it as she stood back up and began firing arrow after arrow at the Werewolves. She heard Kat shouting orders, "Reform the line! Drive them back!"

Susan stepped forward intending to rejoin the main group of soldiers still fighting the Werewolves, but then she spotted a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned, raising the bow defensively, just as teeth, claws, and fur filled her vision. A large weight slammed into her and she gasped as she was knocked down into the cold snow. The bow was viciously yanked out of her hand and then snapped. The Werewolf snarled at her and Susan desperately felt for a weapon. Her gloved fingers bumped into something slender and hard. She tightened her grip then stabbed the Werewolf in the side. He yelped then snarled again as the arrowhead cut into his foul flesh. But, the wound didn't slow him down. _Aslan!_ She wanted to close her eyes as death stared back at her, but instead she made herself look the Werewolf in the eye. She was not weak.

The Werewolf lunged forward, jaws wide, but then he was slammed aside by another Werewolf. Susan could hardly believe her eyes as the Werewolf wrinkled his scarred muzzle and snarled, "Don't shed her blood...yet." He looked at another Werewolf, "Call them." Susan didn't understand what that meant, but then again, she didn't care. She grabbed another arrow and lunged forward, aiming for the Werewolf's eye. But, he spun back. The last thing she saw was his forearm coming straight at her and feeling a sharp pain and a feeling of weightlessness before it all went dark.

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Brutus snarled as he yanked the limp pretender queen up and slung her over his shoulder. He raced away from the battleground with his prize. His third howled and the remaining members of their pack peeled away from the fight. The dark-haired pretender had fought back more than he had expected, but it didn't matter because she couldn't fight her way free of his pack. Less than five days left until the ceremony, but he wouldn't go to Beira just yet. No, there was one more thing he wanted to achieve.

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Katerina lowered her knives as the last of the Werewolves vanished back into the forest. She hadn't been able to find Susan and reach her. "Dame Sepphora!" She ran in the direction of the call and found Caia standing beside a fallen Faun archer, Randy. Taking in the scene in a glance, she knew before Caia even said the words, "They've taken the Gentle Queen."

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Apologies for the tardiness of this chapter, but unfortunately I was struck with both writer's block and a heavy course load. Leave a review and let me know what you thought about this one. What do you think will happen next?**


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Of News and Starlight

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Sensitive Readers (if I have any left), be forewarned that the second to last section of this chapter is rather disgusting due to certain Werewolf behavior.

Chapter Fourteen: Of News and Starlight

Katerina Alambiel almost couldn't believe how badly this Moment of Murphy had turned out. Picking out the messy tracks in the snow was difficult, but it was clear Susan had fought back...and hard. _This is why you shouldn't underestimate Narnian women, and especially not the Gentle Queen._ Unfortunately, in the chaos of the ambush and subsequent battle Susan had been abducted. To say Oreius and the Kings would not be happy once they knew was the understatement of the year.

"Dame Sepphora." Caia's voice was soft and her eyes downcast with self-recrimination as she asked, "What are your orders?"

"We're splitting our group, all those injured will head back to the village at Glasswater along with anyone not fast enough to keep up with Centaur, horse, and Werewolves. Find a Hawk or Bat to carry word of the attack to Oreius and the others at the outpost." She paused in thought then shouted, "Ptah!" As the Leopard answered her summons, Katerina noted with satisfaction that he had emerged from the ambush unscathed. Good, she had need of him. He looked at her and she gestured to the blood-soaked snow, "Is any of this from Susan?"

Ptah made a quick loop, taking care not to further muddle the tracks with his own, before he returned with his report. "None of this blood belongs to the Gentle Queen."

Katerina nodded, "Good." _A little more hope that Susan isn't just a happy meal to go for the Werewolves._ She looked around, and then made her final decision. "Ptah, gather our swiftest uninjured soldiers. Alaois was wounded, so he has the command of the soldiers we're leaving behind." The Leopard inclined his head then proceeded to follow her orders. She turned back to Caia as the Centauress approached with a huge Flying Fox Bat hanging from her forearm. It didn't take long for her to convey the message for Oreius and the Bat flew off in no time. Katerina paused as she noticed the guilty self-recrimination still readily apparent in Caia's eyes and lightly touched the Centauress' shoulder, "Caia, do not blame yourself. We were cast unprepared into an unexpected situation, and we reacted as best we could."

Caia nodded, "Thank you for your words, Dame Sepphora. Now, what is the plan?"

She smiled, "We are going to get Susan back."

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Night had already settled over the land as Oreius oversaw the last of the measures for securing the camp. One large tent had been pitched for use as a headquarters, in addition to providing the Royals and himself with a place to rest that night. They didn't have enough tents for everyone to get a separate one, and with the potential for the Fell to circle back around and attack again, Oreius was taking no chances with the three sovereigns in his care. He paused just outside the tent as he heard the low tones that so often marked the initial disagreement between the siblings, but then entered.

Queen Lucy was perched rather precariously in her hammock while King Edmund had chosen to sit on his hammock with his feet firmly on the ground as they watched their brother furiously pacing back and forth in front of his hammock. Oreius' entrance went all but unnoticed as the High King whipped around to point at his sister, "Why are you here, Lucy? Where's your escort? Your _full_ escort. Why did they let you come by yourself? Do you not realize how much danger you ran into? What if the attack hadn't been over? What if-" King Peter cut himself off with a frustrated growl as he ran both hands through his hair, "I don't know. What if the Werewolves had attacked the outpost again? What if they weren't the only Fell involved and, I don't know, Hags or Ogres or...or Harpies! What if Harpies were also in on it? They could have pulled you and Tila out of the sky with very little work on their part even with Tila's best efforts!"

Oreius remained silent as he watched Queen Lucy give the High King her best scowl, which was still more of an unhappy pout than anything else, as she held up the life-giving cordial. "This is why I'm here, Peter. Our people, our cousins, needed me here. That's why Tila came to get me. She just didn't know that she wouldn't need to go all the way back to Cair Paravel. I was given this cordial for a reason you know that! This is where I was needed, so I came. There wasn't time to travel here anyway other than going with Tila, and Kat and Susan both agreed with me coming here."

The High King was facing away from him, but Oreius could tell that he was struggling with allowing his fears for his youngest sister to continue guiding his responses and with acknowledging that she had been needed at the outpost. King Edmund cleared his throat, "You know, Pete, that Susan and Kat wouldn't have agreed to Lucy coming if they didn't have some assurance that she would be kept safe. And, we would have lost over two-thirds of the soldiers to either death or severely debilitating injuries if she hadn't come when she did."

Queen Lucy immediately latched on to her brother's statement as she nodded, "He's right, Peter. Kat made the final decision and she ordered Tila not to let me down if the outpost wasn't secured when we arrived." That order sounded like something Sepphora would give, and it meant she had had a fairly good idea of the kind of situation that required the presence of the Valiant Queen. Queen Lucy clasped her hands under her chin and gazed at her brother with wide blue eyes as she continued in a softer tone, "Please, Peter, say you're not mad at me or with Tila. Aslan protected us so I could be here when I was needed."

Oreius knew the High King would be unable to resist his favorite sister's plea, and he was proven right as King Peter sighed then walked over and wrapped Queen Lucy in a tight hug, "I'm not mad at you, Lu."

King Edmund snorted as he mumbled, "Like you would even know _how_ to be mad at Lucy."

King Peter acted as though he didn't hear that, in spite of Queen Lucy's giggle, as he continued, "I just wasn't expecting to find you here after we already knew there weren't really enough able soldiers to hold the perimeter against another attack. Nevertheless, I do thank Aslan that you came with your blessed cordial. It's terrible that we lost eight faithful soldiers, but it would have been even worse if you hadn't come." He bussed her hair before adding, "However, I would prefer it if the next time you come to the rescue, you bring your full escort with you."

Oreius finally spoke, "I share the High King's preference regarding your escort, Queen Lucy, although I understand why it was impossible under these circumstances. However, I should like to hear how it came about that your majesty was not at Cair Paravel."

The High King nodded as he let go of Queen Lucy and ruffled her hair before retreating to sit in his own hammock. "Yes, I should have thought Su-" King Peter abruptly cut himself off with a startled yelp as his hammock flipped over, dumping him to land on the ground. The side of Oreius' mouth twitched as Queen Lucy and King Edmund both laughed at their brother's mishap. The High King scowled as he flipped the hammock back and went to work replacing his bedding. "As I was saying- Oh shut up, Edmund, it is _not _that funny." He glared at his still-chuckling brother then continued, "As I was saying, I should have thought Susan was neck-deep in her preparations for the Yule festivities and for the party from Galma who are due to arrive on the 26th or 27th. Why weren't all of you at the Cair?"

Queen Lucy smiled, "Kat recovered from her bout with pneumonia and we decided to escape the busyness of the Cair for a day or so. We thought it was a good time to make our annual deliveries to the smaller villages and we persuaded Susan to come with us. She left Deianeira and Marsalla in charge of everything and came with us. We were on our way to the smallest settlement near Glasswater when Tila came to fetch me."

King Edmund frowned a little, "Isn't that the same settlement that used to hold the weavers' guild house? At least, until the Ogres ran through it because they had been chasing Kat?"

Oreius gave a curt nod at the same time Queen Lucy laughed, "Don't worry, Kat only likes to antagonize the weavers when Oreius is there to protect her." He smirked as the Kings chuckled.

The High King cautiously eased into his hammock and Oreius was certain the colt was holding his breath as he lay down in fear of the hammock once again ejecting him. King Edmund and Queen Lucy smiled as they easily slipped into their own bedding. Oreius began to cover the lanterns as King Peter glanced at him, "Well, Susan and Kat have probably already returned to the Cair."

Oreius nodded, at least that was his own hope, and he saw no reason to cause the colt to worry unnecessarily. He covered all but the last lantern as the High King slowly slipped further into his bedding. He walked over to where he was standing by the last lamp and, more importantly, between the royals' hammocks and the tent entrance. Covering the lantern, the tent was enveloped in shadow. He smirked as he heard King Peter release an audible sigh of relief as his hammock continued to hold him. Unfortunately, the other two also heard him and their not-so-muffled laughter filled the tent.

King Peter sounded indignant as he scolded his siblings, "Be quiet and go to sleep while you can, especially you, Lu. Edmund snores."

Oreius shook his head slightly as King Edmund responded over Queen Lucy's giggles. "Hey! I do not snore!"

"Yes, you do."

"I do not!"

"You do."

"Do not!"

"Yes, you do."

"I do n-"

"Majesties."

Oreius had to fight the urge to chuckle as three voices chimed, "Yes, Oreius?"

"Good night."

Again, all three voices chimed, "Good night, Oreius."

He smiled knowing their limited night vision would not be able to discern it in the darkened interior of the tent. Katerina Alambiel would enjoy hearing about this incident. His smile faded as he resolutely pushed the question that had been haunting him out of his mind. This was not the time to attempt to decipher the answer to that question. Instead, he shifted his weight as he began to rehearse what he would put in the letters he would send or say to the families of the eight soldiers who had fallen during or as a result of wounds received during the attack on the outpost. These were the personal notes he tried to send with every official notification...and it was probably one of the most painful tasks he had to do in his role as the General of the Army. The only thing truly worse was when he had to inform a soldier that something ill had happened to their family.

A loud snore suddenly broke through the relative silence of the tent and Oreius had to stifle his own chuckle as King Edmund continued snoring...very loudly. Setting both hands on the hilts of his one-handed swords, Oreius allowed himself to slip into a light doze as he stood between his slumbering sovereigns and the tent entrance. The night was peaceful. Unfortunately, it did not stay that way...

Oreius snapped awake as Ardon rushed into the tent with Peridan on his heels, "General! Majesties! Wake!"

He heard the Kings and Queen Lucy stir and then a soft thud as he uncovered one of the lanterns. His eyes landed briefly on where the High King was sitting on the ground pulling a blanket off his head before Oreius continued uncovering the lanterns, lighting the interior of the tent enough for them all to see a large Flying Fox hanging upside down from Ardon's raised forearm. The Bat curled up toward Ardon's arm, bowing as the three royals approached, "Your Majesties, General, Aslan's blessings upon you. I am Tuah Nor'Sauts of the Glasswater Nor'Sauts. Dame Sepphora sends me with an urgent message for you, General. Werewolves ambushed the party. She sends the wounded back to the settlement under command of Lieutenant Alaois. The Werewolves have taken the Gentle Queen. Dame Sepphora pursues them with the swiftest remaining soldiers, but she requests aid."

The Bat ducked his head behind his wings as the High King shouted in fury and anguish, "_What?!_" King Peter didn't pause long enough for Tuah Nor'Sauts or anyone else to respond before he launched into an agitated diatribe, "What do you mean Susan's been taken by Werewolves? Why would they take her? Where have they taken her? Why didn't Kat and the others protect her? This is Susan! Susan does _not_ leave the Cair without a large escort. Susan does _not_ throw herself into the thick of trouble. Susan does _not_ get abducted by Werewolves! That's Kat's specialty. Susan- And, _where was Kat_ when this happened? Why didn't she interfere? That is her sworn duty! Why would the Werewolves take Susan? What could they want with her? What- Oh Aslan, what if they have killed her already?"

Oreius glanced at King Edmund, but he seemed frozen in shock. Queen Lucy's hands were clamped over her mouth, her eyes were wide, and it was clear she was fighting back tears. It was a shock, to be sure, that it was Queen Susan who was imperiled in such a manner since she was the most cautious and easiest to guard of the Four, and Oreius felt certain that was the main reason for King Peter's outburst, especially since this news came after a very tiring and stressful day. He stepped toward the colt and forced him to halt as he placed one hand on the High King's shoulder. He squeezed lightly and the colt looked up at him with stark fear in his eyes, "Peace, Wolfsbane. Your sister is held between the Lion's paws, as are we all." Oreius softened his gaze as he continued, "Peter, trust Him to protect her until we may find her. Sepphora did what she could during the ambush and has already begun tracking her. And, thanks to the Valiant Queen's cordial, we may set out with enough numbers to aid Sepphora and Queen Susan. We will leave within the hour. Ardon, Peridan, present the orders to our original escort. Skeat, Ihbari, and Atho will set up a relay to seek out any sign of either the Gentle Queen or Dame Sepphora's party. Queen Lucy, Tila will carry you back to Cair Paravel. Lieutenant Illusin and the other soldiers who were stationed here at the outpost will follow you as soon as their relief arrives sometime tomorrow."

The fear and worry in the eyes of King Peter and his siblings eased as Oreius spoke, though the High King still clung tightly to Oreius' wrist. Peridan left with Ardon, who was carrying Tuah Nor'Sauts as the Bat quietly relayed the path Sepphora originally intended to follow and Oreius spoke once more as he looked at each of his three sovereigns in turn. "Just as you know that you and yours are Aslan's, so should you know that Katerina Alambiel will not stop hunting the Werewolves until she has found and rescued your sister. The Werewolves have provoked her into unleashing her wrath upon them. And, we may reach them only to find that Sepphora has already rescued the Gentle Queen. Do not lose hope, my Kings and Queen. This battle has only just begun and, Aslan willing, we shall not fail to rise to the occasion."

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Katerina Alambiel breathed a silent prayer of thanks to Aslan for the brightness of the moon and stars as their light provided a means of following the Werewolves' tracks without requiring torches or lanterns, which would give away their presence and movement far too easily. _Aslan, give us endurance and shield Susan between Thy paws._ She leaned forward and patted her horse on the neck. The determined gelding, who had been dubbed Pepin, tossed his head and played with the bit for a moment before he resumed forging his way through the snow. There were only six of them, not counting herself, which was why she was hoping against hope that Tuah Nor'Sauts had reached Oreius and the others in time for them to rendezvous. However, if they missed each other, she did have a plan. Of course, she was basing it all on a guess, but if it worked, it would prove worth the risk. And, if it didn't, being lectured by Oreius for having a half-baked and extremely reckless plan would be the least of her worries. But, that had never stopped her before, and she certainly wasn't about to let it stop her now.

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Susan barely resisted the urge to press her hand against her throbbing temple and cheek as she watched the Werewolves surrounding her. The leader was the Werewolf with the scarred muzzle, of that she was certain, and for some unknown reason he had kept her alive and whole. However, she knew better than to show weakness to the Fell. The cold night temperatures felt like a sharp sting again her exposed face and she tried to decide whether it was worth the risk of drawing the Werewolves' attention to her by drawing the hood of her cloak up.

She couldn't help wondering who had fallen and who had been wounded and who had been left to decide what to do in the aftermath of the Werewolves' ambush. She prayed there hadn't been too many casualties, even though she knew it unlikely considering the circumstances of the attack. One part of her wanted to wait and let the soldiers, Kat, or perhaps even her brothers and Oreius, come rescue her from these Fell creatures. However, wisdom and logic dictated that the Werewolves would probably decide to kill and eat her, in that order if she were fortunate, long before help could reach her. So, she would have to reach help.

A fight suddenly broke out between three Werewolves and all eyes turned toward them until the leader approached them with snarl. Susan wished she still had a knife as she carefully shifted her feet so she was crouching, but she didn't. There was a grove of trees perhaps twenty yards away. Aslan willing, she would find Trees or other Narnians who could help her there. She glanced at the fighting Werewolves out of the corner of her eye. The scarred leader suddenly leapt into the scuffle, snarling as the other Werewolves pressed in closer around the four fighting. This was her chance. _Aslan help me!_ She leapt to her feet and bolted toward the trees.

Snowdrifts and her skirts slowed her pace. Her heart was beating so loudly that she was almost surprised when she heard the Werewolves howl as her flight was noticed. The snarls and howls brought to mind the memory of trying to outrun Maugrim and the rest of Her Wolves. She was almost to the trees. Just a few more feet. The snarls and howls grew louder. Susan yanked her skirts up higher and raced for the trees, already drawing breath to scream for aid. Her foot caught on something hidden by the snow and she fell. She tried to scramble back to her feet before the Werewolves reached her but she wasn't fast enough. Her hand bumped into something hard and smooth. A rock! Her hand tightened around it as a Werewolf lunged for her, and she swung it toward his face, heedless of the snapping jaws.

The Werewolf yelped and just missed crashing into her as the rock caught him just above his left eye. Its edge was sharper than Susan had realized, causing blood to fall into the Fell creature's eye. She scrambled to her feet only to be knocked down by another Werewolf. She screamed even as she slammed the rock against his ribs, "Help! Narnians! Aid!" Her unspoken prayers went unanswered as no one emerged from the trees to aid her.

She fought to keep panic from overwhelming her. Instead, she gritted her teeth and swung the rock at the Werewolf again, trying to stun him or wind him enough for her to run again. The Werewolf snarled and then the Werewolf she had wounded first helped him pin her down. She struggled as best she could, but the Werewolves were slowly crushing her into the snow as they both stared at her hungrily. She once again refused to close her eyes. She would not let them have _that_ victory. _Aslan, into Thy paws._

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Brutus and his third tossed the two younger pack members off the pretender queen. He snarled and they both crouched low in the snow, flattening their ears completely, and tucking their tails. They were too weak to fight him and win, even if they worked together. "She is not for eating...yet."

They whined, "Yes, Alpha."

They began to slink away, but Brutus had had enough with his pack allowing their hunger to overrule his orders. He caught the weakest Werewolf, the one the pretender queen had wounded with a rock, by the leg, sinking his claws into the muscles as he yanked him back. Brutus growled as he landed a killing blow before the weakling could even attempt to block it. He removed the heart then tossed the body toward the pack who fell on it eagerly. The other Werewolf slunk away, hiding behind the rest of the feasting pack as Brutus turned to the pretender queen. She reeked of fear and disgust, but her eyes showed only cool disdain. She didn't flinch even when he snarled, "Once my plan for you is complete that will be you, usurper." He tossed half the heart at her feet and snarled in his own twisted version of a grin before he swallowed his half in one gulp.

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Susan felt her stomach churn as she observed the Werewolves killing and devouring a member of their own pack. When the leader turned his back on her, she subtly scooted her feet back from the bloody piece of the heart he had tossed at her feet. The only glimmer of hope she had was that for now she was safe from being eaten by the Werewolves, which meant she had time to figure out a better way of escaping the Fell. And, the others would surely be closer to finding her as well. She looked up at the stars shining brightly above her and found the Leopard, Lucy's favorite constellation, and then her gaze settled on Spearhead. If she could just get away from the Werewolves, she knew she could follow Spearhead home. They were currently heading west...she just needed a more opportune moment to escape so she could get far enough away from the Werewolves. _Aslan, guide me._ She just had to bide her time until it was the right moment for her escape. Susan finally glanced back at the Werewolves and refused to do anything except give a disapproving sniff when she met the leader's evil gaze.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, so real life finally let me finish this chapter. I do warn that there might be a lengthy gap before the next chapter is posted due to school and other real life interference. Any guesses as to what Kat's plan is? Do you think Oreius and the Kings will reach them in time to help Kat rescue Susan? Leave a review and let me know what y'all think.**


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Susan

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Fifteen: Susan

17 Yule 1006

Susan opened her eyes with a start. She hadn't even remembered falling asleep. Her eyes fell on the red snow, barely more than a dark stain in the pre-dawn gloom, where the fallen Werewolf had been devoured by his pack and she immediately had to look away, feeling sick to her stomach. _Oh Aslan, what should I do?_ Susan froze as she realized the Werewolves were all sleeping. She had to try again. She would not give up.

She carefully rose to her feet, defying the little voice that whispered she would be better off waiting. Waiting for what? Logic said it would be hours or even days before anyone caught up with the Werewolves and, in all likelihood, she would be dead by then. She took one step then another and another until she was further from the Werewolves before she lifted her skirts and ran for the trees.

Her heart was pounding as she reached the trees and quickly hid behind a large fir tree. She held her breath listening, but no howls or snarls rang out. Perhaps Aslan had hidden her completely. Susan peeked around the trunk but she didn't see any of the Werewolves coming toward her. She leaned back against the trunk again and scanned the surrounding trees carefully, but none of them were Trees. She would have to move further into the woods to find help, perhaps, though, she would come across a patrol.

She waited a moment longer and then she ran deeper into the woods, pushing past branches heavy with snow and ice that pulled at her hair and scratched her face. She raised an arm to protect her face as she continued running in spite of the low visibility. She didn't dare stop. A small voice whispered that this was all too easy, but she firmly ignored it. She wouldn't let fear stop her.

Susan ran until suddenly her foot caught on the edge of a tree root and she fell. A soft cry of shock broke free as she tumbled down a steep embankment. She heard her skirt tearing. The snow at the bottom of the embankment was not as deep as it could have been and she landed heavily enough that she felt a sharp pain flare from her left ankle. She lay there panting for a moment as she tried to assess herself for injuries. Her skirt was torn, but only the overskirt…a dull ache radiated from her left ankle, which flared into a sharp pain the moment she tried to put her full weight on it. But, otherwise, she seemed no worse for wear.

Susan scanned the area but there was still no sign of any Trees nor was there any indication of friendly Beasts and Birds. She cautiously got back to her feet, the pain in her ankle wasn't so unbearable that she couldn't walk, thank Aslan. Still, she couldn't run as she had been, so logic dictated that she follow the little gulch until she found a place where she could easily climb out. Logic also dictated that as tempting an idea as it was, especially when the pain flared slightly as she began limping, she could not stay in the gulch. The Werewolves had probably realized she was gone by now and they would find her before anyone else if she stayed put.

The pain in her ankle had settled into a constant throbbing pain by the time Susan at last found a place where she could climb out of the gulch without worrying too much about aggravating her injury even further. She was panting when she finally reached the top of the gulch. She was not unfit, but she also wasn't accustomed to this type of long stressful endurance. She had a bit more sympathy for her brothers groaning every time General Oreius decided to focus on their endurance training, which usually involved some type of quick march according to their complaints. She wearily rose to her feet again and began limping in what she hoped was the right direction for finding help.

There was only a whisper of warning. A flash of movement spied out of the corner of her eye. She twisted to face it, but her ankle gave out. Claws and teeth filled her vision as she fell. Susan screamed.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Short, evil cliffie chapter, but at least I got a chapter out right? ;) Next chapter should be longer, but it will also be a longer span of time before I post it. **


	17. Chapter Sixteen: A Glimpse of

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Sixteen: A Glimpse of...

19 Yule 1006

Peridan pulled his cloak tighter against the bite of the wind, all the while watching warily for signs of any potential attack. His horse shook his head, flinging the light dusting of snow from his mane. A soft hiss of frustration from his right pulled his attention to the two bent forms next to the tall outline of General Oreius. High King Peter quietly hissed, "Can we not pick up our pace, Oreius? We've found no tracks by either Narnians or the Fell. Susan is running out of time, if there's even time left."

The General seemed unmoved by the High King's plea. "No, Wolfsbane, we must maintain this pace. It is swift enough without being unwise or outpacing our scouts." Peridan silently agreed with General Oreius' tactical advice, but he wished he showed more obvious signs of sympathy toward the High King's plight. The Centaur was still difficult for him to read, "We will have to make camp soon."

Peridan frowned a little at the darkening sky. So close to Solstice, there were not as many hours of sunlight and it hurt their progress. But, he wished for the sake of the Kings, who were each worrying over their sister, that there was a way to freeze the sun in the sky until they found the Gentle Queen. The General seemed confident in Dame Sepphora's ability to track down and find Queen Susan, but Peridan could not help questioning how she had allowed the situation to come to its current state. He was not completely untrusting of her anymore, yet he still wondered if her insistence on unorthodox methods had contributed to the Gentle Queen's vulnerability to capture.

The High King twisted in the saddle to look at the General, "We cannot!"

King Edmund finally entered the conversation, "Peter, you know Oreius is right. We'll kill ourselves if we try to go faster or press past nightfall, especially if this wind brings a storm."

For a moment, Peridan thought the High King would argue further. Then General Oreius placed one hand on his shoulder, regaining the High King's attention. "My King, we must trust Aslan to protect your sister and we must trust that, even though we have not yet found them, Sepphora and the soldiers with her have closed in on and rescued your sister from the Fell. How often must I tell you, Wolfsbane, do not _create_ problems as you _prepare_ for as many possibilities as possible? Stay focused on what you must do otherwise you will miss something critical to the success of your immediate task."

The High King nodded after a long moment, but then the Hawk, Skeat, screeched and all eyes turned to the snowy hill below and ahead of them. They all surged forward to meet the group as Skeat had not sounded an attack warning. As he rode closer, Peridan squinted against the wind and finally discerned identity of the shape, or rather shapes... Narnians with two horses, but only one of them had a rider. The rider was bundled in a cloak and hunched over the horse's neck, so Peridan could not distinguish who it was...

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, so real life has been crazy for me, but please enjoy this short interlude. I hope to get back to the long chapters shortly. Any theories as to who is missing from the group? What do you think happened? Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.  
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**Please check out the poll on my profile and vote! Your opinions are important. **


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Interruptions

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Seventeen: Interruptions

Oreius increased his pace, as did the Kings, surging through the snow to meet the small party headed for them. His gaze swept over the small group, cataloging each of the six soldiers, Caia, Ptah, Bjorn, Artur, Vas, Pythian, and then the two dumb horses, one Queen Susan's mount and the other, the one with the rider, was Pepin, Sepphora's latest chosen mount. But, was the rider Sepphora or Queen Susan? That question, he knew, was burning in the minds of all present.

He knew Alambiel...she would not return without Queen Susan. Unless...unless, there was no one to bring back and if she were injured to the point of offering no countermand to Caia and Ptah. The rider's posture told him she was injured, but they were not yet close enough that Oreius could discern the identity of the rider beneath the voluminous folds of her cloak. The Kings straightened, urging their own mounts even faster in an attempt to close the distance as they called out. "Susan? Kat?"

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Frome snarled. It had been difficult to follow at such a distance where the Narnians would not detect their presence, but it had been even more difficult to follow that Centaur and not take his revenge on him. The only thing that had helped stay his thirst for revenge from overruling his better judgment was the lack of the presence of the Centaur's mate. But, now the Bird and the Gryphon had landed, no longer scouting the land surrounding the two parties. Frome and the rest of his brethren crept closer to the Narnians, watching and waiting for just the right opportunity. The wind shifted slightly carrying the scent of the new Narnians to him.

Frome froze, nose twitching as his nostrils flared, there, barely detectable, was the Centaur's scent mixing with the scent of a female. It was the mixed smell that lingered when mates were long parted. His mate was among the newcomers. Finally! Frome cared no longer to wait or to heed Brutus' foolish plan. He would have his revenge. The Werewolf tossed his head back and howled for the attack. The Narnians were scrambling below them, but Frome knew he would at least kill the Centaur's mate before the day ended. Nothing, especially not the Centaur, would be able to stop him from exacting his revenge now.

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Peridan could see the frustration on both King Peter and King Edmund's faces as they were forced to immediately wheel around and face the attacking Werewolves instead of discovering the rider's identity. General Oreius reared up, shouting orders as their party rushed to form a protective barrier between the charging Fell and the much smaller group of Narnians with the rider, who was clearly wounded. Peridan guided his horse to the left of the Kings and drew his sword, bracing for what was only his third encounter with Werewolves. He had fought many Fell over the years as they occasionally raided over the Archenland-Narnia border during the Long Winter, but never had Werewolves been among their number.

The Werewolves slammed against the Narnians. Peridan's horse reared and kicked at the Werewolf nearest, tossing his head as Peridan cut the foul beast down. Another Werewolf attempted to leap on the High King's back as his horse stumbled in the snow. Peridan forced his horse to charge, bringing his sword down at an angle, and cutting into the Werewolf's back and through its spine. A snarl sounded. He turned a half a moment too late to fend off the attack. The Werewolf fell, outstretched claws catching on the stirrup, as an arrow pierced its throat. Peridan kicked the Werewolf's claws free of his stirrup then twisted in the saddle and gave a curt nod to the Satyr archer before throwing himself back into the fray.

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Peter swung his shield out, catching a Werewolf hard in the ribs, knocking the Fell Beast off-balance enough that it didn't even have time to react before he drove Rhindon into its chest. He gritted his teeth and jerked Rhindon free then twisted to cut down another Werewolf snapping at his horse's belly. His shield arm lowered slightly as he noticed the rider was apparently too wounded to be able to participate in the fight. Fear sparked. Was it Susan? Was it Kat? He didn't know. He just wanted to protect the rider from being further wounded. And, if it was Susan- "Wolfsbane! Shield up!"

He automatically raised his shield at Oreius' sharp command. Pain radiated from his shoulder and upper leg as a heavy weight slammed into the shield, driving it against him and nearly toppling him from the saddle. He drove Rhindon up across his body and over the top of his shield, pushing against the Werewolf's weight as he strained to center himself in the saddle. The Werewolf's snarl abruptly changed to a whining yelp before the weight against his shield vanished.

Fury at the Fell and what they had done to the Narnians at the outpost, Susan's guards, and Susan herself coursed through his veins. He wheeled his horse around sharply and cut down every Werewolf in reach. A growl echoed just as a weight slammed against his shield once again. He couldn't bring Rhindon up and around in time. The Werewolf knocked him clean off his horse. Rhindon fell from his hand. The Fell Beast slammed him hard into the churned-up snow, and held him down. Blood covered the Werewolf's claws and grey muzzle. Peter struggled to throw the Werewolf off with his shield, but to no avail. He couldn't move his shield arm. He heard Edmund's alarmed shout off to his right. The Werewolf looked down at him and snarled quietly, "Soon."

Peter's eyes widened as the Werewolf looked up and snarled defiantly. Following his gaze, he saw Oreius had nearly reached them. He grunted as the Werewolf leaped off him. Peter rolled to his feet and watched in horror as the Werewolf set a course for the wounded rider. _No!_ He snatched Rhindon from the snow and raced after the Werewolf.

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Brutus snarled in anger as he paced. They had their sacrifice, but Frome was becoming dangerously unpredictable. He could not allow his beta to get away with disobeying his orders. His nostrils flared as he caught a familiar scent, "Since you are watching, you will aid me in summoning Frome." There was no answer, but magic flared as he howled the signal for a return to the alpha and the pack.

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Peridan blinked when he saw a grey Werewolf pin High King Peter, then snarl defiantly at General Oreius and leap over a wounded soldier to tackle the wounded rider from the back of her horse. He rushed toward them, as did the High King and General Oreius, but the Werewolf was poised to kill. They would not reach them in time and all the Narnians closest to the rider were too embroiled in their own struggles to free themselves and aid the rider.

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Frome snapped his jaws as he crouched over the wounded female, hoping to frighten her into screaming. Her breathing and heart rate picked up. He growled as he inhaled her scent. Frustration flared and he opened his jaws to snap them shut on her neck, but then he heard the Brutus' faint summoning howl. He tried to ignore it, but the magic accompanying the howl would not allow him to do so. He, and the rest of the still living Werewolves, were forced to abandon the battle and race away from the Narnians. He snarled low in his throat, "Soon."

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**A/N: Please and Review! So, a decent length this time for the chapter and lots of action. The identity of the rider shall be revealed in the next chapter...unless I change my mind again. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter.**


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Questions&Answers

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Eighteen: Questions and Answers

Peridan looked at General Oreius as the Werewolves retreated almost as swiftly as they had appeared, but the Centaur gave no sign of his thoughts concerning the matter. The High King raced for the fallen rider, who was now trying to get back to her feet. Peridan expected the High King would be disappointed when the rider turned out to be Dame Sepphora; after all, she had been riding Dame Sepphora's horse. King Edmund reached his brother just as the High King reached out to pull back the rider's hood.

Long, dark locks fell free. Peridan stopped in shock, while the Kings joyously embraced their sister, "Susan!"

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Oreius paused only for half a breath before he trotted up to the Royals, "Majesties, we must find a safe place to make camp for the night before you can ask your questions." He did not add that he recognized the cloak Queen Susan was wrapped in as one he had placed in Alambiel's saddlebags just prior to leaving for Archenland, nor did he ask the burning question as to what had happened to Alambiel.

The Kings quickly helped their sister back onto Pepin and took up positions on either side of her as their party set out again. Oreius only intended to retreat far enough to find a defensible place to make camp...he had no intention of leaving the mountains until he found out what had happened to Katerina Alambiel and then found _her_. Thank the Lion, it did not take long to find a suitable place and set up the camp.

He followed the Kings into the tent designated for their use, once again planning to stand as their guard during the night when they retired. Queen Susan was lying in one of the hammocks, covered up to her chin by a pile of blankets, with her pale face marred by dark circles under her eyes and a colorful bruise to her temple. Oreius' tail swished against his flank when he saw the evidence of her suffering, but he did not permit himself to show any other sign of anger, knowing it would most likely do very little to reassure the Gentle Queen. King Edmund bit out a curse when the army healer came over to them and whispered that Queen Susan had several cracked ribs, a badly wrenched ankle, and a number of other minor injuries in addition to exhaustion from her ordeal and exposure to the harsh winter weather.

The Gentle Queen opened her eyes and immediately scolded him, "Edmund Alexander Pevensie! You mind your language!"

The High King glanced up at him with amused relief in his eyes while King Edmund ducked his head, "Sorry, Su."

Oreius watched as King Peter crossed to his sister's hammock with King Edmund only steps behind and gently touched her shoulder since he could not take her hand. "What happened, Susan?"

At first, Oreius was uncertain as to whether she would be able to answer, but then the Gentle Queen gathered herself and quickly told them how she had been captured. He approved of how she had continued to fight for her life and sought her escape. He listened even more intently when she moved into the details of how she came to be injured.

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17 Yule 1006

Susan screamed again as the Werewolf tackled her, flipping her over in the snow and sinking his claws and teeth into the heavy material of her cloak, nearly choking her before the clasp gave away. She struggled to her feet once more and tried to run. Pain radiated from her ankle and she crumpled in the snow again. She felt around for a rock or a branch, something, anything that she could use to protect herself. But, her groping fingers closed on naught besides snow. The Werewolf grabbed her by the back of the neck and yanked her upright. He snarled in her ear, "Pitiful."

She thought he was going to kill her as his hot breath touched her neck. Instead, he abruptly tossed her to the side. She slammed hard into a tree, causing her to cry out as pain radiated from her ribs then another excruciating jab of pain flared from her ankle as she landed and immediately fell to her hands and knees. _Please, Aslan, let someone hear me. Please send help before the Fell kill me. _Susan looked up to see it was the Werewolf leader attacking her.

His scarred muzzle wrinkled in a snarl as he crouched in front of her and forced her back down into the snow, pinning her with a heavy grip on the back of her neck. Fear spiked and her chest tightened as she met the Werewolf's hate-filled gaze. If her face had not been numb from the cold, Susan was certain she would not have been able to prevent tears of fear and pain from spilling free. Perhaps she was crying and simply couldn't tell. The Werewolf leaned in closer, hot, foul breath hitting her face, "Pitiful little false queen, you will die."

Fear spiked again, but then an almost inexplicable calm settled over her as she heard a Voice that seemed to be at once surrounding her and also within her. _Courage, dear one. Courage and trust._ Susan felt far braver than she had since she last stood in Aslan's presence. Aslan had not abandoned her. Somewhere she knew her loved ones and loyal friends were searching for her and the Fell Beasts who had taken her. And, they _would _find her. She just had to stay alive until they did.

The Werewolf snarled again as he tightened his grip on her neck, forcing her face into the snow as she felt his claws pressing against her throat, almost to the point of breaking skin. Her eyes were closed but she felt the calm stay with her even as she listened to the Werewolf's next words, "Do you think that I will allow you to escape so easily? I am Brutus, I am the alpha of my pack, and I will bring back our exalted positions."

Susan didn't respond, even though her mind was racing with the possibilities of what he could mean by bringing the Werewolf pack back to their exalted positions. Brutus...the name tickled at her memories, but she couldn't say where she had heard it before. She was cold, almost to the point of being completely numb, but she could feel the burning aches and pains radiating out from her ankle and ribs. Brutus roughly hauled her to her knees, but she didn't fight him. She knew her ankle alone would prevent her from getting very far on her own. Logic dictated that she no longer had the option of running on her own and that she must wait for help. Courage and trust was what she needed to focus on now. She watched, shivering, as Brutus grabbed her cloak and then ripped it to pieces with his teeth and claws.

It was illogical how the cold suddenly seemed to sink through her clothes more than it had when her cloak was easily retrievable, but that was how it felt. Susan fought the temptation to curl into a ball in an attempt to preserve as much of her body heat as possible, she didn't want to appear any more submissive than it took to survive long enough to be found. Dropping the last shreds of her cloak, Brutus came back over to her and grabbed her shoulder, his claws piercing through the layers of her clothing and resting against her skin as he forced her to limp back through the tangled woods. Looking at the trees, she prayed to Aslan that perhaps some Talking Beasts or Birds were watching and would go find help once it was safe for them to leave their hiding places. _Courage and trust._ That was her answer and that was what she promised herself she would do, no matter if or how it challenged her logic.

Brutus finally shoved her into the clearing where his pack was eying her hungrily. Susan fought to hang on to the sense of calm as she raised her head defiantly. She would not be afraid. She would have courage and she would trust in Aslan to guide rescuers to her. Brutus growled low in his throat, "One last lesson, dark one." He backhanded her in the temple, causing her to stumble as she put too much weight on her ankle.

She gave an involuntary cry at the pain, but then forced herself to stand upright again. Anything to keep her weight off that ankle and she could not afford to show any more weakness. _Courage and trust._ He hit her again in the temple and everything went black just as she heard one of the Werewolves growl, "Someone's coming."

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19 Yule 1006

Oreius watched in grim silence as Queen Susan struggled to finish telling her story. Finally, he spoke, "Majesties, your sister needs her rest as do you. We will speak further on what occurred after you have all rested." The Kings bowed their heads in silent acquiescence after they noticed the Gentle Queen had fallen asleep almost as soon as she had ceased speaking. Oreius ensured their tent was well-guarded before trotting out into the camp. There were others who could tell him what he needed to know.

He did not go far before Caia hailed him, "General Oreius!"

The Centauress joined him, following as he led the way to the farthest boulder sheltering the camp. Away from listening ears, her anxiety finally showed as she set a hand on his vambrace-covered forearm, "Please, what news of the border outpost? Of Illusin?"

Oreius softened his expression slightly, "Illusin is well, Caia. He leads the patrol back to Cair Paravel, in the Valiant Queen's wake."

Caia's relief was clear as she gave a curt nod and released the strangling grip she had had on his forearm, "Thank you."

"Now, tell me what happened to Sepphora."

Caia nodded and then began to recount all she had witnessed...

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17 Yule 1006

Caia pawed the ground with one hoof, trying not to think of whether Illusin was among the dead soldiers or if he was so badly wounded that he was in dire need of Queen Lucy's cordial... She forced her thoughts from that road. She needed to focus on finding Queen Susan... Dame Sepphora had finally called a halt as the dawn barely lightened the sky. Thirty minutes to rest and eat before they continued tracking the Werewolves and Queen Susan.

She once again checked her bow and the number of arrows in her quiver before checking her sword. Her hand tightened on the sword hilt as worry over Illusin once again attempted to intrude before she forced it away again. Illusin was between Aslan's paws. Caia knew that Dame Sepphora had a plan of some sort, but she had been very close-mouthed about the details. Dame Sepphora commanded their party and Caia could not make her divulge the plan, but still she hoped the knight would be willing to give her more details now that they were closing in on their quarry. Approaching Dame Sepphora as she cared for both her own horse, Pepin, and for Queen Susan's horse, Caia watched with interest as the female knight muttered to herself in the foreign language that only the General seemed to understand.

Dame Sepphora pulled her red cloak tighter around her body before acknowledging Caia's presence. "What is it, Caia?"

"What is your plan for rescuing Queen Susan?"

Dame Sepphora glanced at her and patted Pepin's neck before digging through the saddlebag, "The less you know about my plan, Caia, the better. Just know that I fully expect it to work. However-" Dame Sepprora cut herself off with an amused smile as she pulled out a hooded cloak, "Ah, that Kentauri." She shook her head and slipped the cloak on over her other cloak before looking back at Caia, "However, the Kentauri will most definitely not approve of my plan, even though I do not see any other options for us to employ."

Caia frowned, "But, Dame Sepphora-"

Dame Sepphora held up a hand, cutting short her protest, "Enough, Caia. Your orders are to protect Queen Susan and get her some place safe, no more, no less. I can look after myself." She swung up on Pepin's back and then her expression softened, no longer emphasizing her authority, as she quietly spoke, "Caia, you are my friend, but this time I cannot allow you or anyone else to know all the details of my plan ahead of time. The clock on Susan's safety is running out and we've no time to spare toward my arguing for the benefits of my plan outweighing the deficits." She pulled up the hood of the cloak, obscuring her features, "Come on, let's find Susan." Caia and the other five soldiers followed Dame Sepphora until Ptah took up the lead as he tracked the Werewolves and the Gentle Queen.

They had set a ground-eating pace, spurred on by their own determination and by Dame Sepphora's unrelenting expectations. Caia and the other soldiers realized that Dame Sepphora would not stop for any one of them...she would not stop for herself. They had taken care to keep the wind from blowing downwind of them as much as possible, in spite of the growing difficulty of that task as the wind picked up and continually changed directions. It was closer to dusk than to noon when they halted.

Caia trotted through the deep snowdrifts to join Dame Sepphora and Ptah at the head of their small party. The wind picked up, ruffling fur, hair, and clothing as it swept around them. The Leopard had narrowed his eyes as he faced the wind and the two females, "We've caught up."

Dame Sephhora gave a short nod, "How far away?"

"Less than seven miles. If the wind shifts, they could attack us and kill the Gentle Queen."

Caia looked to Dame Sepphora, waiting to hear the plan and their corresponding orders. She suspected the knight knew exactly what she waiting for as Dame Sepphora shot her a faintly amused look before she addressed the entire group. "We have found the Werewolves. Queen Susan is still in their keep. Assume she is injured severely. The Werewolves outnumber us and they have a hostage, so we will not attack." She ignored the three soldiers who shifted and glanced around in surprise as she continued in a firm voice, "You will follow my lead. Do not engage the Fell until you see my signal unless it is necessary to remove an immediate threat to Queen Susan's life. I will take care of getting Susan away from the Werewolves. Your orders are to observe until I have done so and then you will protect the Gentle Queen and escort her to safety. You will seek the soldiers under the command of General Oreius and the Kings, as they should be closest to our current position. If you have not found them by the second day, you will proceed as swift as possible for Cair Paravel. Aslan guard us all."

"Aslan guard us."

Dame Sepphora handed Pythian the reins of Queen Susan's horse, and then she urged Pepin toward the Werewolves as Caia and the others fell in behind her. They had only proceeded about two miles before the wind shifted, blowing their scents downwind...toward the Werewolves. Howls went up almost as soon as the wind shifted. The Werewolves knew they were coming. Caia prayed the Fell Beasts would not kill the Gentle Queen before Dame Sepphora could carry out her plan.

Caia would have preferred an attack on the Werewolves, in spite of the tactical disadvantage, but she knew they must follow Dame Sepphora's orders. She also knew none of them had missed the way Dame Sepphora had worded her orders as though she would not be with them, but they could not question her. Dame Sepphora had given them no opportunity to question her on her choice of wording, not even Ptah or herself. Though Caia wished she knew what Dame Sepphora was planning, she focused on staying alert for any sign of ambush.

The howls ceased shortly after they had crossed the fourth mile. Caia could see the Werewolves milling about only two miles away. When there was less than a mile between them, Dame Sepphora signaled for them to halt and hold position. The two dumb horses were rolling their eyes in fear, though only Queen Susan's horse pranced nervously as Pepin stood solid after a murmured word from Dame Sepphora. Caia watched in surprise as Dame Sepphora trotted forward slightly and called out, "Brutus! Come and bring your prisoner to face me! Unless, of course, you are too afraid of what I shall do to you if you come and face me."

This was why many, including Caia herself, questioned Dame Sepphora's sanity at times. However, the insane plan of insulting the Werewolf Brutus seemed to work as the Werewolves closest fell back to reveal another Werewolf holding Queen Susan by her throat. He snarled, "I do not fear _you_, Alambiel."

Dame Sepphora seemed unmoved by the sight of an obviously wounded Queen Susan as she dropped her hood. "Then, come make a deal with me."

Caia caught her breath as she realized what Dame Sepphora was about to do. She almost stepped forward but Dame Sepphora looked over her shoulder at them and shook her head slightly before dismounting. She dropped Pepin's reins to the ground and the gelding shivered but did not move, per his training. The Werewolf Brutus seemed intrigued as he dragged Queen Susan forward, "What deal should I make with you?"

Dame Sepphora stepped toward the Werewolf, "Why, a trade, of course. Your current captive for me." She took another step forward. "Think about it, Brutus. You know who I am...what I am and I have a very good guess as to what you are intending to do with her. Why not take a healthy, uninjured captive who can withstand the rest of your journey?"

The Werewolf looked almost fanatical as he seemed to understand what Dame Sepphora was offering better than Caia did. He growled, "You come to me and then I will release the dark one."

Dame Sepphora shook her head, "Nope, not going to do that. Instead, we will compromise. You release her at the same time I start walking toward you, I will make sure she is able to return to the Narnians, and then we each continue toward our perspective groups. I won't make this offer again, Brutus."

For a long moment, Caia thought the Werewolf would refuse and perhaps kill Queen Susan but then he released his grip on her neck and shoved her forward. The Gentle Queen stumbled and nearly fell before limping toward Dame Sepphora as fast as she could. Dame Sepphora reached her and held her still as she shrugged out of the hooded cloak and wrapped it around the battered Queen, whispering something to her before continuing on to the Werewolves. Caia stepped forward and caught the Gentle Queen before she collapsed. She helped her onto Pepin's back, not even bothering to adjust the stirrup straps before she grabbed Pepin's reins and turned the horse. She looked back once to see the Werewolves swarming around Dame Sepphora. Then, she led the horse carrying the wounded Queen back the way they had come with the others guarding their rear. She prayed Dame Sepphora would survive her plan...

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19 Yule 1006

Frome snarled in frustration. He had not found the Centaur's mate after all, merely the dark false queen who had apparently been in close contact with the Centaur's mate in the last few days. The magic was forcing him to return to Brutus and the rest of the pack, but he would not be compelled to stay. He would hunt down the Centaur's mate, no matter what it took, even if he had to rip Brutus' throat out first. _Soon, very soon._ He repeated the mantra to himself as he raced toward an alpha he no longer believed in and no longer owed his loyalty.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, a good long chapter to make up for all the short ones. So, what do you think will happen next? Let me know what y'all think about this chapter.**

**Also, a big thank you to WillowDryad for looking this chapter over before I posted it. It was greatly appreciated. **


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Whispers

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Nineteen: Whispers

_Unbearable cold seeping into her very bones. A low growl from behind her. Run! Not fast enough. Oh Aslan, she wasn't fast enough. Teeth flashing as the Werewolf dove for her throat._ Susan's eyes flew open, searching the darkness. She tried to control her breathing in spite of her rising panic. She heard...something and then she blinked as a light was uncovered, revealing General Oreius standing next to her hammock. Beyond him, she could see the lumps that were her brothers sharing a hammock and she could hear Edmund snoring. She took a shuddering breath, only to wince at the pain the action caused her, but then she remembered something and she tried in vain to move her hand out from under the layers of blankets. "K-Kat..."

Oreius nodded, "I know, my Queen. Caia told me how you were rescued." The fierce Centaur general gently laid his hand on her head, an action so reminiscent of what her father used to do in her half-forgotten memories that Susan's eyes burned from unshed tears, and regarded her with the same fond concernedness she had seen him direct toward her brothers whenever he carried them home wounded. "Do not fret, Queen Susan, I will find Alambiel and bring her home. I give you my word. Alambiel is most experienced at defying death, and I doubt she will cooperate with Werewolves any more than she has in the past."

Susan felt more tears threaten at the thought of how much danger Kat was in... She blinked back the tears as she recalled what Kat had whispered. She tried to speak but her throat was so sore. Oreius seemed to realize what was wrong as he stepped away for a moment then returned with a cup of tea. He gently held her head up so she could drink, but as soon as she finished drinking the mercifully soothing liquid, Susan looked up at him and whispered, "Kat said to give you a message."

Weariness and cold seemed to steal her strength even as Oreius leaned in with a questioning look, "What message?"

Susan's eyelids felt heavy but she still managed to pass on what could possibly be Kat's last words, "She said she releases the five from their oath." She shivered as the cold settled in her bones again, but she didn't miss the shock that had flashed through the general's eyes for a brief moment. Kat's message meant something to him, but she couldn't focus enough to question him further.

The shock was gone, vanished behind an almost completely impassive look before he looked back down at her and tenderly pulled the blankets up to just under her chin. She only made a slight noise of protest when he reached to cover the lantern again, but he still heard her and left the lantern burning bright. Oreius set his hand on her head again, stroking her hair lightly, "Go back to sleep. You are safe. Aslan holds Alambiel between His paws. And, I will bring her home. Rest now."

Susan couldn't resist sleep's call anymore, but as she closed her eyes, she mused that Oreius' actions proved he probably thought of her and Lucy as his own fillies, just as he cared about their brothers like they were his own colts. As sleep stole over her, Susan was no longer hearing Oreius' voice, but her father's voice when he would sit by her bed and stroke her hair after a nightmare, telling her to go back to sleep.

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20 Yule 1006

Oreius watched the Gentle Queen slip back into sleep, silently praying that Aslan would guard the filly's dreams. He had sent Tuah Nor'Sauts to contact the patrol nearest their location and they should be waiting by that afternoon to provide extra security. He would make sure the Royals were safe even in his absence.

_She releases the five from their oath...Dame Sepphora surrendered herself to the Werewolves, General. _His tail smacked against his flank as he stamped a hoof at the thought of the foolish plan Alambiel had implemented. The enmity betwixt her and the Werewolves had been there since she first encountered them when protecting Queen Lucy. Why? Why could she not use her considerable tactical cleverness to find another way?

Oreius closed his eyes and took a breath as he tried to control his frustration. He knew why Alambiel had not chosen another course of action. With the limited resources and soldiers available to her, there had been no other course of action. Instead, she crafted a foolish and insane plan for retrieving Queen Susan...and it worked. Oreius opened his eyes again and glanced at where the Gentle Queen was sleeping. Alambiel had to have figured out something about the reason behind all of this... The Werewolves were intelligent...for the most part...and they had kept Queen Susan alive for a reason. But what- Oreius froze as he realized the most likely reason, and Alambiel had probably figured it out as well. Oh dear Lion, no.

He could not wait for dawn. He had to leave sooner if Alambiel was to survive.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! So, a short little chapter before you get to find out what's happening with Kat. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**

**I have added 'What's Gone on Before's' to each of the main stories from ****_Shadowed_**** forward so it's not absolutely necessary to read all of the main story arc before reading ****_Concealed_****, although I still recommend eventually reading them so you get the full story for each of them. **

**Also, if you have not voted in the poll on my profile, please do so. I enjoy getting your feedback.**


	21. Chapter Twenty: Cause for Alarm

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Twenty: Cause for Alarm

The wind was picking up again. A storm was coming; perhaps it would even build into a blizzard. Oreius grimly considered it just another reason to find Alambiel, pull her out of the trouble she jumped in, and get out of the mountains as fast as possible. He had to reach her and get her away from the Werewolves before moonhigh on Winter Solstice.

Oreius rounded a corner then halted and slid a one-handed sword free. He was being followed.

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Peridan barely suppressed his surprise when Captain Ardon stopped dead in his tracks and raised both hands as a sword rested at his throat. The sword was removed before anyone could react and then a large shadow detached itself from the pre-dawn gloom. The General surveyed them for a long moment before focusing on the Kings, "You brought nine soldiers and left the rest to safeguard the Gentle Queen."

It was not a question and Peridan once again could not discern how the Centaur felt about their presence. He prepared himself for the argument that was certain to ensue if General Oreius ordered them to go back. The General flicked his tail as he sheathed his sword then turned toward the trail again, barking a single order over his shoulder, "Double-time."

Peridan saw the Kings exchange looks then they fell in right behind the General and just in front of Ardon and himself. General Oreius kept them at the double march for several hours. In Peridan's opinion, the General was answering the question he had asked him in Anvard, not that he would make mention of it until _after_ they returned to Cair Paravel. He doubted the General would tolerate even the slightest mention of anything personal at this time.

The sun had just begun to cut through the clouds when King Edmund ventured to break the silence, "Why did the Werewolves take first Susan and then Kat as captives?"

The General didn't glance back as he answered, "The Fell are trying to take advantage of the eclipse that will occur at moonhigh tomorrow."

Peridan didn't understand the significance of that statement and, apparently, neither did the Kings as King Edmund sounded more than a little puzzled as he asked, "What does that mean?"

Captain Ardon was the one who answered, "This is the first lunar eclipse to occur on Winter Solstice in four hundred years. It is a time of powerful magic and there are spells that are reserved for such times as they would require too great a price at other times. This is especially true of dark magic."

King Peter stiffened slightly, "Is that why Susan said the Werewolves were discussing her as a sacrifice?"

"Yes." The Centaur's answer hung heavy in the air until he continued. "It seems most likely that the Fell are attempting to bring the White Witch back to life through a dark magic ritual. And, if it is like most of the powerful dark rituals, it would require a blood sacrifice...royal blood is the most powerful blood that can be used in such rituals."

Peridan frowned as he realized what no longer made sense, "If they took Queen Susan to be a sacrifice, why would they allow a trade? Especially with Dame Sepphora, she is not a royal after all."

Peridan watched as the General finally looked over his shoulder and nodded to Captain Ardon, "She has released the five from their oath."

For some reason, Captain Ardon's face darkened before he looked from the Kings to Peridan, "They agreed to the trade because Dame Sepphora _is_ of royal blood."

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Susan shivered as the cold of winter seemed to sink its claws even further into her. Her temple was pounding, making it difficult to concentrate, but she still knew that she shouldn't feel as cold as she did. Caia was talking to her but she felt like her head been wrapped in layers of cotton. She was so very tired. She just needed to rest her eyes for a moment. So very tired...

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Caia shook Queen Susan's shoulder harder, "Your Majesty! Susan! Susan, you must wake!" There was no response. The Centauress felt Queen Susan's cheek...she was freezing in spite of being bundled in a cloak and blankets atop that...she must have been exposed to the bitter cold too long. The healer hurried forward at her gesture and confirmed her fears. They had to get Queen Susan to Cair Paravel.

Caia looked around at the other soldiers, "Make a litter and pull out all the blankets we have. We must keep the Gentle Queen warm." They worked swiftly, settling the Gentle Queen onto the litter and then piling every last blanket they had over her. Two of the lighter Wolves and one of the Foxes attached to the patrol who had met them an hour ago hopped onto the litter after the first blanket had been laid over her, snuggling as close as possible to the Gentle Queen while being mindful of her injuries, giving her the warmth of their combined body heat. Caia prayed it would be enough as four of the Centaurs picked up the litter and they set out at the fastest pace possible.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, so the Kings and Peridan just found out about Kat being a royal. What do you think their reactions are going to be? And, Susan...well, I couldn't let her off the hook completely...it wouldn't be fair. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	22. Chapter TwentyOne: In Need of a Plan

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Twenty-One: In Need of a Plan

Katerina watched Brutus through narrowed eyes. The Werewolf was more highly placed in his pack than she had ever suspected. Of course, it had seemed that he was most likely Isak's Beta but now it seemed more that there had been a unification of two Werewolf packs and Brutus had been the weaker Alpha. _I still hate Werewolves._ Brutus had been swatting down various members of his pack for getting too close to her for over two days. It looked like she was right about the upcoming eclipse having something to do with the sudden reappearance of Brutus and the kidnapping of Susan.

Now, how was she going to get herself out of this mess? Oreius was going to have a fit once he found out. Well, actually he had probably done the silent fit, reserving all the yelling for when they met up again and weren't in any life or death situations. Meeting Brutus' gaze, Katerina couldn't help but admit that this was one of the worst half-baked plans she had ever come up with, which was probably what Oreius was going to say, although she was certain he would add a lot more adjectives between half-baked and plans. Now, she needed to either finish baking her plan or find a different, more-thoroughly-baked plan.

Brutus snarled at her, "Do not try to escape, Alambiel. You know the moment the smallest drop of your blood spills, my pack will be on you before you could even scream for that Great Cat or maybe that Centaur who seems so fond of you."

Katerina raised an eyebrow, "I also know that you're waiting for tomorrow before spilling even the smallest drop of my blood for just that reason."

Brutus suddenly moved closer, inhaling deeply before growling, "Why does that Centaur always come after you and interfere with the plans we Fell have had for you?"

"Well, he's mainly doing it because he's reserving the right of killing me for himself. Oh, and because it really ticks you Fell off before he kills you...but that might be more of a bonus than an actual reason."

She hid a smirk as she watched Brutus snarl in frustration at her answer. _Nothing like a game of annoy the Werewolf as much as possible in order to motivate coming up with an effective plan for escaping said annoyed Werewolf. Oreius is going to kill me when he finds out._ Katerina frowned as she realized she was hearing something other than the Werewolves and the wind, but what-

A heavy, snarling weight slammed into her, crushing her into the snowdrift she had been sitting next to before she could turn around completely. The new Werewolf inhaled deeply before attacking, giving her the chance she needed to get her feet under him. Katerina kicked him hard in the gut, dislodging the Werewolf from his stance on top of her. She rolled away from him and reached for the knives she had kept concealed from the Werewolves, unwilling to keep up the charade of a helpless captive. She wasn't _that_ crazy.

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Frome snarled, drawn from his plotting on how to rid himself of Brutus so he could hunt down the Centaur's mate as they neared the rest of the pack and he caught a faint scent that was not Werewolf. He inhaled deeply then a feeling of hunger and elation swept over him as he recognized the scent. He put on an extra burst of speed leaving his packmates behind and racing through the rest. He snarled as he leapt on to her, tackling her into the snowdrift. He heard Brutus' commanding snarl and ignored him. He was no longer content to be Brutus' beta. After he finished with the Centaur's mate, he would challenge the alpha, or rather the former alpha.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Yes, I know another short chapter with a cliffhanger at the end. I'm so mean. But, I promise the next chapter shall be nice and long and we will get the reactions/answers y'all have been waiting for since the last few chapters. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter and do you want to see the challenge fight between Brutus and Frome?**


	23. Chapter TwentyTwo: A Fight and Answers

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Fight and Answers

Katerina's fingers had just brushed against the hilt of her near knife when she forced herself to stop. Brutus threw himself on her attacker's back, sinking his claws into the grey Werewolf's shoulders and then forcing them both to land in the snowdrift not even a full ten feet away from where she crouched. Brutus snarled as they pulled apart from each other, "Frome! You will obey your alpha!"

The grey Werewolf, Frome, growled low in his throat, "You are not my alpha."

_Oh great, a dominance fight between Werewolves and I'm stuck in the middle. I hate Murphy. _Eying the way the rest of the pack had closed in around the three of them, Katerina was forced to admit she wasn't going to be able to fight her way out at that particular instance. She carefully removed her hands from her knives and focused on keeping space between the Werewolves behind her and the two Werewolves who were about to fight. She never thought she would say, much less think something like this, but she was hoping Brutus won because at least she knew he wanted her alive for another day.

The Werewolves snarled as they circled each other, each vying for a better position of attack. Brutus feinted to Frome's left. Frome ignored the feint and raked his claws across the thick fur covering Brutus' upper back. Brutus growled and pivoted, bringing his hands up, he caught the other Werewolf in the ribs. Dragging him down, Brutus flipped Frome to land on his back in the snow. Brutus immediately pounced on him, grabbing Frome's throat between his jaws and slowly squeezing.

Frome snarled in defiance at first and then whined when he was unable to dislodge Brutus. At first, Katerina thought Brutus was going to kill Frome, not that she minded, but the Werewolf suddenly released his hold on Frome's throat. His scarred muzzle just centimeters from his challenger's bloody throat, Brutus snarled, "Who is your alpha?"

Frome flattened his ears and kept his throat exposed as he gave a rather sullen growl, "You are my alpha, Brutus."

Brutus snarled again, "Never think you are able to defeat me, Frome, and you may be beta but that won't last if you keep disobeying my commands. If you touch the sacrifice again, I will kill you and let the pack feast on your carcass."

He let the other Werewolf up, but Katerina noticed the malevolent gaze Frome shot in her direction before he crouched in front of Brutus, keeping his ears flat, tail tucked, and head lower than the alpha's, and growled, "But she is the Centaur's mate! I can smell his scent on her. It is my right to kill her."

_I'm the what?! _

Brutus seemed to know exactly what Frome was talking about, which made her feel less than comforted. "The Centaur will come after her. He always comes after her. When we have used her blood in the sacrifice, then you may kill her in front of the Centaur. Until then, do not touch her and do not cause her to bleed even the slightest drop."

Katerina sat in stunned disbelief as she realized Frome, at least, thought she was...Oreius'...mate. _Of all the ridiculous things to say! I am not his mate and where do they get off saying they can smell him on-_ she cut herself off mid-rant as she realized that even though she hadn't even been around Oreius in weeks, she _was_ wearing something that would have his scent. His cloak, the one he had given her when she first came to Narnia, but that had been years... She was tempted to laugh hysterically when she remembered all the times Oreius had pulled her out of something or grabbed her cloak, which would have strengthened the scent and of course, if you spend enough time around someone, some of their scent is going to linger on you, according to Sherket anyway. She looked up at the sky and rolled her eyes. Unbelievable. She was going to smack the Kentauri for getting her a new enemy because _he_ annoyed a Werewolf.

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Brutus watched his beta slink off to the other side of the pack. He inhaled, checking the wind, and noted again the old friend of the Werewolves was still lingering nearby, but still did not interfere. That was fine by Brutus; he rarely needed magic to control his pack as he had just proven with Frome. Brutus turned to meet Alambiel's defiant glare. Tomorrow night, they would use the last of Narnian royal family, the last heiress of the line of Frank, to bring Her back. He would let Frome rip her heart out in front of the Centaur General who always came for her, but Frome would have to share the meal with him. Of course, perhaps he would kill Frome before moonhigh and then he alone would eat Alambiel. His scarred muzzle wrinkled as his lips peeled back in a gruesome smile as he acknowledged both options appealed to him.

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Oreius glanced over his shoulder as the silence continued to stretch following Ardon's revelation of Alambiel's royal heritage. The Kings both looked somewhat bemused, while Peridan looked as though another gust of wind would easily topple him from his horse. Deciding to hurry the discussion along so he, well, they could focus once more on finding Alambiel, Oreius spoke firmly, "Katerina Alambiel was born Alambiel, daughter of Lew, the last King of the line of Frank. Her blood is both ancient and royal, which means it is even more appealing to the Fell than the blood of your sister. It also means that it is very likely that she will lose her life during or immediately after the Fell's ritual is complete and that the White Witch could be resurrected. We must reach them and rescue Dame Sepphora before moonhigh tomorrow night."

The Kings exchanged looks then nodded grimly, a fiercely determined glint in King Edmund's dark eyes told Oreius that the dark colt king would die before he allowed Jadis to be revived by her followers. A similar determined glint was in the High King's eyes, but Oreius knew it was even more from the determination to protect his brother and his subjects than from the single-minded determination to halt Jadis's return that drove King Edmund. He would have to keep an eye on the dark colt king in particular to make sure he did not rush in when he should use caution. Cold, silver fury and blazing, golden rage would soon rain down on the Fell, but until the right moment, Oreius would keep them...and himself...focused on those things that must come first, like catching up with the Fell.

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Peridan could hardly believe what he was hearing. Dame Sepphora, the reckless, rash, flippant lady knight was royal? How did- He stiffened slightly as he realized how he had treated her had never been the behavior appropriate to treating a royal, not even after he and Marsalla had reached a sort of compromise with her. He would have to break the news to Marsalla himself because he knew she would be mortified. And, then he would have no choice but request Dame Sepphora's pardon for treating her with less respect than her position deserved.

Fortunately, General Oreius called out the orders, "Double-time!"

Peridan would have to set the dilemma he now faced aside for a while and focus instead on stopping this new threat...

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Katerina Alambiel fought the urge to scream as Brutus came up beside her and suddenly shoved her so she fell into a hole. Rolling down the sharp incline, she grimly hoped she didn't break something or get a cut. She landed hard, hissing softly as a sharp pain radiated from her shoulder. _Well, that was inconvenient._ She heard Brutus slide down the embankment and land beside her, and then he hauled her to her feet and shoved her forward down another tunnel. Something crunched under her boots as she walked, but she refused to look down. She didn't need to, after all, she knew the sound of breaking bones. _Gross, and more gross. I hate getting stuck in Fell lairs, their decorator is awful every time. _Brutus prodded her again, forcing her to go deeper into the tunnel system. She forced down the urge to panic as her mild claustrophobia threatened to come to the fore. She had to stay focused. She began counting the separate ways to get Edmund back for dumping that water on her in Stormfall. She had reached revenge trick number one hundred and thirty-seven when Brutus shoved her into a room that felt so evil her skin crawled. A Hag stood before her, clutching a staff covered in bones, stones, and other knick-knacks. The evil emanating from this Fell was old and malevolent. Katerina Alambiel reached out to the One who was still greater than that malevolence. _Aslan, be with me._

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Caia could have wept for joy as, by the grace of Aslan, Cair Paravel rose in front of them. The Centaurs had been switching off at intervals, so none had depleted their strength fully though all were covered in sweat and lather, in spite of the cold. The gates were open in spite of the growing darkness and merrily lit by blazing torches and laterns as their group clattered into the courtyard. Caia and the four Centaurs carrying Queen Susan did not halt. Instead, she led them into the Cair, calling out to some pages who were gawking at them, "Summon Tuulea and Alithia to the Gentle Queen's chambers. And, alert the Valiant Queen to our return. Make haste!"

Leaving the pages to dart in different directions as they sought the Valiant Queen and two healers, Caia led the Centaurs and their burden up to the royal wing. Upon reaching Queen Susan's chambers, Caia carefully scooped the injured Queen, blankets and all, into her arms and gently laid her down on the towels her ladies-in-waiting had used to cover the bed. Then, she dismissed the soldiers to report to Captain Cletus. Awaiting the arrival of the healers and Queen Lucy, Caia ignored the ladies-in-waiting hovering and brushed some dark locks out of Queen Susan's face as the still-young filly seemed to sink deeper into the claws of the bitter cold she had been exposed to since she was captured. She prayed they had gotten here in time for the Gentle Queen.

Tuulea and Alithia ran in with Queen Lucy on their heels. After she hurriedly explained the Gentle Queen's symptoms, Caia carefully backed out of the way to allow them to tend to Queen Susan. Sent from the bedroom, she waited in silence as did the ladies-in-waiting. A large hand closed around her right hand, drawing Caia from her fervent prayers for the Lion's mercy and protection. She glanced to her right and barely kept from crying out in joy as she met Illusin's gaze. Instead, she squeezed his hand in silent greeting, relieved beyond words that she could touch him. He nodded slightly and stepped a little closer as their fingers interlaced and they continued to wait for news of the Gentle Queen's condition.

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Lucy watched, biting her lip and almost dancing in place as she clasped her cordial tightly to her chest, waiting for Tuulea and Alithia to decide whether Susan needed it or not. _Aslan, thank you for bringing Susan home. And, please let her be all right._ She gasped when she saw Alithia unwrap Susan's hands, her fingers were blackened...frostbite. Tuulea looked grim yet still spoke with a calm, soothing voice as she turned to Lucy, "Bring your cordial, majesty. Your sister's hypothermia is far too severe."

Lucy quickly undid the top of her vial and carefully poured a single red drop between Susan's chapped, blue-tinged lips. Returning the vial to her belt, Lucy clambered onto the bed and knelt by Susan's other side to wait for her big sister to wake up.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! What do you think is going to happen next? We're closing in on the climax, so expect more action and more drama. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter. **


	24. Chapter TwentyThree: Waking Up

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Waking Up

It was dark when she opened her eyes. No, that wasn't true. There was a single taper burning just to her left, which allowed her to make out the familiar furnishings of her bedroom and...and someone was curled up beside her. Her gaze darted to see who it was and she rasped, "Lu?"

Lucy jolted upright and immediately threw her arms around her neck, "Susan! You're awake!" Susan was slightly surprised that she could return the hug because she had a vague memory of the healer muttering something about frostbite and her hands had been hurting so much. She winced slightly when Lucy shouted, "Tuulea! Alithia! She's awake! Susan's awake!"

Susan tried to speak, but she couldn't quite force the words out until Lucy quickly offered a soothing cup of tea. Tuulea and Alithia came in just as she finished drinking the tea, "What day is it?"

Lucy answered while Tuulea and Alithia both checked her, "It's an hour past midnight, so it's the 21st of Yule. Winter solstice. Caia and the others brought you back earlier this evening. She told us what happened with Kat."

Susan shivered as she tried to stand, only to sway before Tuulea caught her shoulders and forced her to sit back down. "You can't go anywhere just yet. You've lost quite a bit of weight in a very short amount of time, even the cordial won't fix that, young Queen. You need to eat before trying to move from this bed again."

Susan tried to protest but she felt herself already giving in to weariness. She sighed heavily, "Kat asked me to give Oreius a message...it didn't make any sense to me but he seemed to understand it. He left in the middle of the night to go after her."

Tuulea paused in the middle of fluffing her pillows, "What message?"

"That she released the five from their oath." Susan narrowed her eyes at Tuulea and Alithia as they exchanged worried looks, "What does it mean?"

Tuulea cleared her throat, "It would be best if Stonebrook explained it, majesties." Alithia immediately pushed Susan back down when she tried to sit up while Tuulea gave her a scolding look, "Stay still. I will bring Stonebrook to you...I will also see about food for you. A nice broth will do for now and more tea."

Susan and Lucy looked at each other in surprise as Tuulea fairly ran from the room then they looked at Alithia and chorused, "What do you know?"

The Centauress merely lit a few more candles before she casually replied, "Enough to know that Stonebrook needs to be the one to explain it to you, your majesties."

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, short and not much action in this particular chapter, but we're back to Kat and the Hag and the Werewolves in the chapter. Oreius and the boys may make an appearance too. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	25. Chapter TwentyFour: Forgotten,Remembered

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Forgotten, Remembered

Katerina stared at the Hag. There was something disconcertingly familiar about her and the evil emanating from her. Like a long-forgotten childhood nightmare slowly being breathed into life and niggling at her memories. The Hag raised her staff and pointed it at her, causing the trinkets of bone, silver, and stone to clack together, "The child of Lew. Brutus, how is it you caught her? The Great Cat placed His mark on her, much like He marked the four little usurpers."

The Hag didn't wait for Brutus to answer as she struck Katerina in the knees with her staff, forcing her to drop to her knees, and then the Hag approached her. Katerina resisted the urge to cringe away as the Hag placed a bloodstained talon under her chin, piercing just hard enough to be uncomfortable but not enough to break the skin, and forced her chin up so they could look each other in the eye. "You...you I did not expect. Brutus was supposed to bring me one of the four children, but you, you are a far greater prize, are you not? Ancient blood, royal blood. You will bring back the very one whose clutches you somehow escaped when She conquered Narnia. And, I, Beira, Matriarch of all the Hags, will spill the blood of the last of the Line of Frank." She clacked her beak and tilted her head so they were looking each other in the eye, "She will not forget my service this time. And, She should have heeded my warning concerning you. Despair, Alambiel, child of Lew, for our Great Mistress is far more powerful than your Great Cat."

Katerina could barely breathe from the heavy oppressiveness of the evil rolling off Beira. _Aslan!_ Her plea seemed to work as she suddenly found herself able to breathe again. She narrowed her eyes at the Hag and pointed out in a steady voice, "And, yet it is Aslan, not Jadis, who defeated death itself for He is Life. You speak of folly, Beira. Your mistress is dead and even if she were not, she would forget you the moment you no longer serve her purpose." She leaned forward, allowing the Hag's claw to dig further into her skin, and whispered, "Your plan won't work."

Beira let out a harsh bird-like screech of rage and swung her staff at Katerina's head. And, then it all went black.

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Brutus watched, slightly impressed that Alambiel had once again provoked someone more powerful than she...and still breathed. Exactly what would it take before she was killed, so he could eat her? Beira pounded the end of her staff against the floor twice, clacking her beak angrily. The Hag hissed and swayed, "No one will forget me! No one! Not our Great Mistress, not my daughters, and not you Werewolves!" She pointed her staff menacingly in his direction and Brutus pulled his lips up in a silent snarl, but said nothing to the Hag. She canted her head to the side and clacked her beak before gesturing imperiously, "Keep the child of Lew under guard until sunset. At sunset, we will go to the place of sacrifice and finish preparing for the ceremony."

Brutus picked Alambiel up and slung her limp body over his shoulder. Wisely protected by the great prize of a sacrifice, he finally growled, "Why climb further up the mountain when we could conduct the ceremony in these caves?"

Beira half-turned, giving him a sly look, before she clacked her beak again and pointed one talon-tipped finger at him, "Because, Werewolf, this ceremony requires the entire ritual to be conducted outside under the light of the solstice moon and the darkness of the eclipse. If you had brought me a Son of Adam, a different ceremony could be used, but you did not. Now, take her away. And, remember not one drop of her blood shall be spilled unnecessarily or I will take the price out of your hide, Brutus."

He snarled at her then carried Alambiel to another smaller chamber and tossed her inside. As soon as they finished using her blood, he was going to eat Alambiel.

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Susan stared at Stonebrook in shock before her gaze flickered to Tuulea and Alithia, but the lack of surprise in their gazes meant they'd known for some time. She glanced at Lucy, who was sitting at the end of the bed, next to her feet, and her sister's blue eyes were wide, but then she giggled and clapped, "Oh, of course! Susan! This is why Kat looked so much like that picture of Queen Swanwhite I found a couple years ago!"

Susan nodded slowly, still trying to process everything. It did make sense and obviously it was the truth because she had never known Stonebrook to lie, or Tuulea and Alithia, for that matter. She frowned then and narrowed her eyes at Stonebrook, "Is that why that particular book suddenly could no longer be located?"

The Centaur elder smiled slightly and bowed, "I must admit I moved the book to a different and more secure resting place, so the information was not stumbled upon by just anyone."

Susan nodded again, "Well, we shall have to wait until Peter and Edmund and Kat have returned before we discuss any of this further." She looked at the window, which showed the sky was still dark, then turned back to the others, "What can we do to help them?"

Stonebrook cleared his throat, "More storms are coming from the west. And, it is already Winter Solstice, no other patrols would be able to reach the mountains and find the rescue party or the Fell in time to be of aid. Wisdom dictates that your majesties must be the shield to our people here."

Susan was silent for a moment before she gave a curt nod, "Very well. Then, I think it would also be wise for us all to retire now. After all, the best thing we can do for them now is to make sure things are well at home. Lucy, you and I will start checking on the preparations for the Yule festivities in the morning just after breakfast. And then we will proceed from there." She paused then looked at Stonebrook, "We can also arrange for some of the soldiers to keep a special eye out for their return?" He bowed in silent acquiescence and then Tuulea ushered him and Alithia from her bedroom.

Lucy curled up next to her and Susan absently pet her hair as her mind continued to race with worries of all sorts. Lucy's quiet voice cut through her listing of the probable outcomes of each worry, "Do you think they'll find Kat, Su?"

She almost hesitated, but then answered with surety, "Yes, Lu. I mean, it's not just Peter and Edmund, but also Oreius and the other soldiers. And, Oreius always finds Kat, remember? She was complaining about it just a few weeks ago."

Lucy giggled, as Susan had hoped she would, and quieted again, but just when she thought her sister had fallen asleep, she asked, "Do you think they'll be back in time for Christmas?"

Susan thought for a moment as she kept petting Lucy's hair, "Yes, maybe even by Christmas Eve. Now go to sleep, Lu." She continued petting her little sister's hair as she began to softly hum a lullaby she could just barely remember their mother singing...in that Other Place. After awhile, Lucy fell asleep, but Susan kept humming as she prayed fervently for Kat, Peter, Edmund, Oreius, and everyone else to return home until she too finally succumbed to sleep's gently persistent call.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! All right, we're building into the climax (maybe one or two chapters left before the climax) and we will find out what's going on with Oreius and the boys in the next chapter. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	26. Chapter TwentyFive: Time

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Time...

21 Yule 1006

Oreius finally allowed a stop, but only for fifteen minutes. Enough time for the soldiers to eat and make sure the cold hadn't frozen any weapons in their sheaths, which would be a fatal occurrence in case of an ambush. He watched the colts checking their weapons, approving of the way they tended to their weapons and horses before digging into their traveling rations as though they hadn't eaten in at least a fortnight. It had taken him six months to drill into them that they needed to tend to _both_ their weapons and their mounts before eating, even though they had immediately taken to tending to their mounts before themselves (Philip had aided immensely in ensuring that lesson remained ingrained for both colts). He frowned as he noticed the wind was picking up and its bite was even colder than it had been but an hour earlier. It was roughly noontime, so it should have been marginally warmer or at least holding steady...

"General?" He looked down as Ptah joined him. The Leopard squinted against the wind, "There's a storm coming. I can smell it. It will chase us down the mountain."

"We will outrun it."

Ptah looked up at him, the end of his tail twitching slightly before he turned and made his way back to the other Talking Beasts. Oreius looked back up at the top of the mountain then shouted the order for their party to resume its trek. Another hour passed before King Edmund rode up next to him, "Why haven't we sent anyone ahead to try and find Kat's trail?"

"Too much time would be lost. If we are correct about what kind of ceremony the Fell will attempt, it will be best to head to the place they will perform the ceremony and stop them there."

The colt was silent for several moments before he quietly asked, "Where?"

Oreius pointed up, "The top."

"In less than eleven hours..."

Oreius nodded then called over his shoulder, "Double time!"

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The sensation of damp numbness and an uncomfortable hardness digging into her ribs and cheek edged into the realm of unconsciousness. Katerina grumbled under her breath and reached up with one hand to push down whatever was poking her cheek. Her fingers bumped into something damp, snow, first and then she felt a curved hardness. Tracing it, she registered the curve was elongated and it culminated in whatever was poking her, pointy but blunted, like a...tooth. Katerina's eyes flew open as she jerked upright. She scrambled backwards, scrubbing her cheek with back of her hand and gagging as she realized she was in a room where the floor was littered with jumbled bones. And, she had been lying on top of the skull of a Satyr and what she suspected was the jawbone of a Faun. She coughed and gagged some more as she staggered to her feet, trying and failing to stop the dry heaves.

Katerina shuddered as her dry heaves finally ceased, although the thought that it probably wasn't snow, or at least not just snow, causing the dampness on her clothes nearly set off a fresh round of dry heaves. She took a gasping breath, "I am sorry we did not know this was happening to you until now. But, it will happen to no others, Aslan willing...Aslan grant it." There were no ghosts here, all these poor souls were secure in Aslan's country, but she felt better when she spoke some acknowledgment of the lives lost and it helped her to clear her head outside of battle. And, she needed to be as clearheaded as possible if she wanted even a chance of getting out of here alive.

Taking another gasping breath, Katerina turned, ignoring the crunch of bone beneath her boots, until she faced the only patch of a corner without bones. What was it Charlie had always told her? She needed to focus on something...or maybe someone... She closed her eyes and remembered the gist of Charlie's instructions... If being overwhelmed hurt her focus in any situation, then she needed to focus on someone she trusted. She murmured, "Kentauri, I doubt you are pleased with me right now..." And, he was most likely scouring the mountains for her, but as much as she needed his backup, she wouldn't say no to the chance of not only staying alive but figuring out a plan to at least half-rescue herself. That way she had a modicum of justification for when she argued with Oreius about whether she actually had a plan or not (since she couldn't quite argue that she had everything under control). Yes, that was what she would do. There was no way to tell the time but she suspected she had somewhere between just enough and more than enough time to plan...barring any surprises.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Ceremony will be featured in the next (longer) chapter. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	27. Chapter TwentySix: The Ceremony Part One

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Warning: **Dark** Fell ceremony ahead.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Ceremony, Part One

Katerina hissed in frustration as her gloved fingers met the fabric of her undertunic instead of the hilts of her knives. Brutus was intelligent and knew very well that she fought with more than just Chrysaor thanks to their past encounters, but he had been too preoccupied with keeping his pack, especially his beta, in line to search her. Unfortunately, the Hag apparently hadn't had the same concerns...

_Hags, Werewolves, and no knives. Well, I feel irked._ She let out another frustrated hiss at the annoyances of the Fell Murphy kept throwing at her then turned and surveyed the room. She was going to have to improvise...some more. Studying the bones, she held back a grimace as she started to look for ones she could turn into weapons. Finding a long leg bone, which she desperately hoped was from a non-talking deer, Katerina picked up a rock and struck the middle of the bone. It took three hits (out of five tries) before the bone shattered, leaving her with a weapon...of sorts. It would puncture, but she wouldn't be able to use it to slash and it was unlikely it would hold up enough for her to use it more than once. She scanned the floor again; she needed something that would hold up a little longer (more than once would be both nice and necessary) too. She crouched and picked up the jawbone of what looked to be goat, but was most likely a Satyr judging by the size and weight. It would have to do.

She had a bad feeling that her time was running out even as she crept to the entrance. The Werewolves and Hag seemed confident she wouldn't try to run since she couldn't see any guards nor detect any other hint of someone else's presence. She stepped forward, only to press back into the shadows of the entryway just as a Hag walked into her line of sight. It wasn't Beira, the evil following this Hag didn't feel quite as old as that which had emanated from Beira. Katerina frowned at the realization that Beira wasn't solitary instead she had a true nest...that was just great, she probably really was the Matriarch of all the Hags. She tensed slightly as she saw the Hag running her talon down the blade of one of her knives. A snarl echoed from the other direction as a Werewolf stalked closer. The Hag hissed and clacked her beak, "What are you doing away from your pack, mutt?"

The Werewolf growled, "I smell her."

Katerina held her breath, but the Hag just cackled and pointed a talon-tipped finger at the Werewolf, "Foolish mutt, of course you can smell her, she's being kept here. Go back to the rest of your pack before the Matriarch catches you and turns you into ingredients for her spells."

For a moment, the Werewolf looked ready to pounce but then he disappeared back the way he had come. The Hag preened...Katerina had the feeling she was close to the bottom of the pecking order in this nest since she took such pleasure in sending the Werewolf away. The Hag drew even with her hiding place and she rushed her, swinging the jawbone at the Hag's fragile neck. The Hag fell before she knew what had hit her.

No other Fell emerged from the shadows. Katerina blew out a breath, and then crouched next to the Hag's body. She had seen one knife and hopefully the other was also stored somewhere in the Hag's robes. Her hand froze mid-reach when she heard it. Half-turning, she barely had time to aim her makeshift bone knife as the Werewolf jumped on her. He just missed taking a bite out of her face as they both fell. The light flickered then faded from the Werewolf's eyes as his bulk collapsed on top of her. She gasped as a sharp pain radiated from her shoulder even before she shoved the Werewolf off...the bone knife had punctured his throat at just the right angle to hit the vital arteries. Thank Aslan the bone hadn't shattered instead of puncturing his throat because she wouldn't have been able to put up a very secure defense if it hadn't.

She winced and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out as she reached up and across with her left hand. It was difficult to tell exactly what was wrong through her gloves and several layers of clothing, but it felt like either a muscle had torn or her shoulder blade was cracked...her shoulder also felt as though it was dislocated. The scuffle with the Werewolf had pushed her injury to the limit. _Not good, not good at all. Actually, that might have been the understatement of the year. I hate Murphy._ She shifted back to face the Hag and picked through the Fell's filthy robes until she found her knives. Katerina sheathed the right hand knife with only a minimum amount of awkward discomfort (clearly she needed to practice sheathing her knives with the opposite hand). It was a very good thing that she was ambidextrous as opposed to being solely right-handed...

Praying her escape and the aftermath of the fight would remain undiscovered long enough for her to get out of the Hag nest, Katerina forced herself not to run blindly down the tunnel she thought was the way out. _Steady and focused, no mistakes..._ She stumbled to a halt as she looked up the steep incline she remembered falling down before, judging the grade she sighed as it was painfully clear that the incline was steep enough to be a true trial with one injured shoulder, not to mention the added concerns of stealth and keeping her guard up. And, if she didn't make it up, she would never hear the end of it. She managed to reach halfway up the incline when she started sliding back down. _No, no, no._ Her boot slipped on a slick patch and she automatically tried to steady herself with both hands. She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to keep from making a sound at the pain flaring from her shoulder.

Scrambling for footing, Katerina finally abandoned stealth in favor of digging in with the toes of her boots and running up the incline. A high bird-like shriek sounded from behind...her escape had been discovered. She didn't stop when she spotted the exit, instead she raced forward. An icy blast of wind greeted, but she only had a moment to register the fact that it was after dark already before a Werewolf tackled her. She screamed as his weight hit her injured shoulder...

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Peridan reined his horse to a stop as the General signaled for them to halt for a brief rest. And then, they all heard it. A faint echo of a scream...it was difficult to pinpoint the exact direction of the scream's origin other than it came from further up the mountain. The General looked over his shoulder and quietly spoke, "We're nearing them." Without another word, the Centaur signaled for them to resume moving, but this time he also signaled for them to move silently. Peridan hoped they would find Dame Sepphora soon, otherwise he feared the effect remaining exposed to the elements would have on the Kings. They hadn't climbed much farther when they heard a second agonized scream and then silence...a silence that was broken by his horse whinnying. Peridan had the sudden wish to be buried in one of the surrounding snow banks as they all turned to look at him and his guilty mount. That was...unfortunate. He had a feeling it would be long before the General forgave him if his horse's ill-timed whinny had caused Dame Sepphora to be lost...and even longer if his guess about the General's feelings concerning her were truly correct.

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Brutus tackled Frome before he could kill Alambiel. He slammed his beta against the mountainside, ignoring his own urge to hunt her as he smelled her pain, her weakness, even more clearly than he had heard it in her scream. "We need her alive." He dug his claws deep into Frome's shoulders and threw his rebellious beta down to the snow covered rock below. He was going to have to kill Frome if he continued to refuse to obey his orders. Too much hinged on the ceremony for him to allow a single member of his pack to endanger it.

A cackle sounded behind him and he turned to watch Beira as she stood over the wounded Alambiel, "You run so far, Lew's daughter, but you reached the end of your chain, didn't you? Kill one of my chicks in my own nest? I should just kill you, but your lifeblood must be fresh and your heart still beating for the ceremony." The Hag Matriarch tilted her head, eyeing the way Alambiel grimaced and clutched at her shoulder, then slanted a glance at Brutus. "Wounds summon the mutts too early." The Hag shook her staff and walked around Alambiel, chanting harshly before she pressed the end of her staff against the shoulder Alambiel was favoring. Brutus had experienced the painful healing spell, but it seemed to have a more painful effect on Alambiel as her back arched and she let out an agonized scream, although most of the followers of the Great Cat always seemed to be pained when dark magic was used to heal them.

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Frome snarled at Brutus as he pulled himself back onto the ledge in front of the Hag's nest, urged on by the screams and scent of pain emanating from the Centaur's mate. He reluctantly kept his head lower than the alpha's though as he carefully approached, looking for any opportunity to attack her. Frome didn't bother to hide his frustrated growl even when Beira pointed her staff at him in warning and Brutus turned on him with a snarl. "The Centaur's mate was wounded and weak. It is my right to kill her."

"It is not the right of the dead." Brutus pinned him to the ground, the claws of one hand digging through his fur to pierce his neck, as he raised the other arm to make the killing blow. And then, Brutus halted his blow as the sound of a horse whinnying reached them.

Brutus didn't look away from Frome, still using his weight to keep him pinned, but Frome heard the Centaur's mate groan in frustration while the Hag Matriarch moved to look over the edge. She hissed, "Narnians."

Brutus released Frome, "Hunt the Narnians. Kill them and stop them from reaching the ceremony before we can summon Her. If you succeed...I'll kill you quickly, once beta."

Frome's lips peeled back, showing his teeth in a gruesome smile as Brutus dragged the Centaur's mate to her feet and forced her to follow the Hag Matriarch up the trail leading to the summit. He waited as other members of the pack appeared from where they had been watching the conflict between beta and alpha and then he led them in a silent race to the Narnians...

The Narnians were not far below the Hag's nest, less than two miles...they could have ambushed the Fell but for a dumb horse whinnying. A Gryphon screamed a warning just as Frome and his brethren leapt down to the Narnians. Frome snarled as he raked a furrow of scratches deep into the haunches of an Elk before dodging its kick. The Elk snorted and caught another Werewolf on its antlers and tossed the foolish youngster over his back...and over the edge of the cliff. Frome worked with another Werewolf to force the wounded Elk to give ground until its hind hooves were slipping off the cliff edge. Relishing the chance to kill _something_, Frome rushed forward and tore into the Elk's throat before using his body weight to topple the Elk off the mountain. He turned and eyed the Narnians, looking for his next target. The accursed Centaur was too far away as he cut down two of Frome's brethren, but Frome would merely kill more Narnians on his way to the Centaur...which suited him. He uttered a low growl as he charged into the fray.

The Werewolves were slowly pushing the Narnians back, and the pretender kings were both fighting on foot. Frome snarled as he spotted the elder of the two fighting to protect a Satyr...with his back to him. He was completely unaware of how close to danger he was...it was perfect. Frome howled in pain as the bite of cold steel digging into his lower shoulder wrecked his stalking of the elder pretender king. He leapt away from the blade and whirled to face his attacker. The cool dark eyes meeting his did not flinch away as he snarled, "Traitor."

"Not anymore."

The dark one lunged for him, uncaring of how close they were to the edge of the cliff, not even when he nearly slid off the edge as Frome dodged his blow. He was silent and unflinching as Frome growled and snapped at him...the dark one who had once been chosen to serve Her. Frome leapt on him, allowing the sword to slash a thin line across his side as he landed heavily on his shield. He darted forward to dig his teeth into the dark one's face, but he was startled out of his attack when the pretender king pulled his shield arm free of his shield and punched him in one ear. Frome glanced around and noticed most of his brethren had been slaughtered or driven off... He shoved hard against the shield, causing the dark one's breath to leave him in a rush, and then leapt away.

The snow crunched as the pretender king surged back to his feet and chased after Frome. He snarled then altered his course slightly, going closer to the brittle snow along the edge of the cliff. His lips pulled back in a macabre imitation of a grin as the dark one chased him without hesitation or caution, ignoring the shouts of the others. He nearly fell himself as he turned and leapt for the ledge above him. Sinking his claws through snow and ice to grip the rock underneath, he climbed up quickly and then looked down. He was disappointed to see the Centaur had grabbed the dark pretender king by the back of his chainmail and prevented him from falling. Frome turned and hurried toward the place of ceremony. Should the Narnians somehow make it in time to prevent the death of the Centaur's mate, he wanted to be there to tear her heart out in front of the Centaur.

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Oreius tightened his grip on the back of King Edmund's chainmail, praying that the snow underneath him wouldn't give away. His dark colt had enough frame of mind to sheath Shafhelm before he started to pull him up. He felt the snow start to give way underneath him and tensed. Pulling the colt with him, Oreius jumped to the safety of the trail just as the snow beneath his hooves crumbled away to reveal the icy rock of the cliff. The moment they were on safe ground, and Oreius released his grip on King Edmund's chainmail, King Peter pulled his brother into a crushing embrace then whispered harshly, "What were you thinking, you bloody idiot? You could have been killed. You-"

Oreius rested his hands on both kings' shoulders and spoke softly, "Peace, Wolfsbane." He tightened his grip on his dark colt king until the colt looked up at him then continued, "How, you will stay with your brother. Side to side and back to back, do you understand?"

King Edmund nodded slowly, "Yes, General."

King Peter gave a curt nod when Oreius glanced at him, reading the unspoken command for him not to leave his brother's side if it could be helped. Oreius squeezed their shoulders one last time then looked up at the full moon, which had nearly reached its zenith. They had far less time than he had hoped... It would be a race to reach the summit before the eclipse occurred.

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Katerina Alambiel shivered they reached a flat area where a crude stone altar had been set up, stained dark with the blood of past sacrifices, the sense of evil was once again almost overwhelming her more than the cold. The Hag snatched her gloves off her hands and she suppressed the urge to flinch away from those filthy talons as the Hag traced the tips of her talons along her star-shaped scars. Ignoring her non-reaction, Beira cackled and uttered a command that was answered by more Hags and Werewolves appearing from the shadows. "Let the circle be formed and let none break it." Brutus kept her restrained, but she wasn't stupid enough to try to run in this particular situation...and she would rather face the danger, the evil, head on than to be unconscious as they worked it. Her breath formed icy clouds as she forced herself to watch Beira clutching both of her knives in one hand. She hoped Beira would not use them in the ceremony because then she would have no choice but to order the desecrated blades melted down and destroyed permanently and then wait months before Baumur got over his huff and conceded to forging her new blades.

She glanced up at the sky as the Hags forming the circle began to stamp their staffs in a rhythmic beat...the moon was just shy of its true zenith but she could see the eclipse begin to creep across the face of the moon. Still staring at the moon and the slowly encroaching eclipse, Katerina had to admit that things were looking very bleak at the moment. The evil surrounding her attempted to pull despair to the fore. She didn't close her eyes, she didn't give in. Her gaze shifted from the darkening moon to the stars, finding first Spearhead and then her namesake, Alambil, the Lady of Peace... Peace, she needed peace and courage both...she didn't know for sure anymore if she would escape death and she felt despair attempt to press down on her. A warmth from inside and without, unnoticed by the Fell around her, wrapped itself around her and she felt both peace and courage settle over her and shield her from the probing tendrils of despair and evil. There was no accompanying whisper as she had experienced in the past, but she knew without a doubt just who had brought her the peace and courage she so desperately needed, answering her prayer before she could consciously form it.

A subtle shift in the atmosphere of things dragged her attention back to the ceremony. The Hag Matriarch began to chant in a harsh voice as she swayed to the rhythmic stamping of the staffs, "Sangee lee ghetreek neelee ah seh mahshedah rajikah dahbykah. Sangee lee ghetreek ah seh tah." Brutus forced Katerina down to her knees as Beira pulled out a broken wand just as the last bit of moonlight was completely swallowed by the darkness of the eclipse. The Hag Matriarch raised an ornate dagger and her chanting reached a higher, more frenzied pitch as she swayed toward Katerina. "Ah seh tah! Ah seh tah! Jadis yyhlee Alambiel, Lew's Daughter! Yyhlee!" The dagger came down, aiming for her wrists as Beira held the wand ready to catch her blood.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, so hopefully this chapter is enough to make amends from my gap between posting. The Hag's summoning spell was made up as I combined nonsense words with mangled bits and pieces of several different languages. It is supposed to translate (if anyone speaks Hag or Fell) as "Blood taken from unwilling royal prey. Blood taken (will) rise up. Rise up! Rise up! Jadis claim Alambiel, Lew's Daughter! Claim (her)!" So, any thoughts as to whether the ceremony will be interrupted or will Jadis be revived? Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter.**


	28. Chapter TwentySeven: The Ceremony Part 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Ceremony, Part Two

The moon was eclipsed in darkness but four braziers, most likely maintaining their flames due to magic, still provided plenty of light. Katerina Alambiel saw Beira bring the dagger down and she finally made her move at the same time a unified war cry rang out, "For Aslan! And, for Narnia!" She hooked her left foot behind Brutus' foot and jerked as she pulled away from the Hag. A burning pain bloomed as the knife barely cut her left wrist, but her blood just missed landing on the White Witch's broken wand as she toppled Brutus. Scrambling away from the Werewolf, she saw Beira swinging the wand at her, aiming specifically for her bleeding wrist, but just then, the Narnians broke the circle and a sliver of moonlight appeared as the eclipse began to retreat. Beira shrieked in rage and Katerina kicked the wand out of her hands, causing it to disappear somewhere in the snow.

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Oreius cut down Hag and Werewolf alike, trampling one Hag in his initial charge. He could see Alambiel struggling with a Hag and a Werewolf was creeping up on her. He galloped toward them, but the Werewolf changed its course, narrowly avoiding his blade. A wave of evil and malice rolled off the Hag as she began chanting, summoning a blizzard, before Oreius could reach her. Suddenly, Alambiel yanked the Hag's staff away from her and swung it at her neck. The Hag crumpled and Alambiel hit her in the head once, ensuring she was dead. Oreius raised an eyebrow, "You took her staff?"

"She took my knives." Alambiel glanced at him then and chided, "You're late."

He didn't get the chance to respond as the Fell began to recover from the surprise of the Narnians' ambush and responded with their own attack. Alambiel left him to guard her back until she found her knives and abandoned the Hag's staff in favor of them. They fought until the eclipse had fully retreated and the full moon's light penetrated the darkness. Looking around, Oreius was not pleased to see upwards of thirty Fell still able to fight. Their number was too few to withstand them and he would not allow the Kings and Alambiel to perish here. Ignoring protocol, he grabbed Alambiel and pulled her onto his back then he shouted, "Down!" He forced the Kings to the front of the line, just behind Peridan and Ptah, and then the Narnians ran as the remaining Hags all proceeded to chant as one to summon a blizzard and increase its strength. They needed to get as far down the mountain as possible if they hoped to live until dawn.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, it's short I know, but don't worry, nobody's in the clear yet. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	29. Chapter TwentyEight: Mountain Conflict

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Mountain Conflict

The blizzard enveloped them as they raced as recklessly as possible down the mountain, but above the shrieking wind, Katerina could hear the howls of the Werewolves. She leaned forward so her mouth was beside Oreius' ear, "They're catching up. Do you have a plan? Other than seeing if we can break our collective necks before the Werewolves get us."

He didn't answer. She reflexively tightened her grip around his torso as his next leap threatened to toss her over his head and shoulders. They were going to die by sliding off the mountain to Murphy's twisted amusement at this rate. _And, my hands are freezing._ The howl of both blizzard and Werewolves distracted her from the state of her hands. The howls were much closer than they had been and she leaned forward again, "Oreius! You have to let me down."

He glanced over his shoulder at her, and she could see his refusal before he ever opened his mouth. "No. We will-"

Two Werewolves slammed into them, pushing them...pushing Oreius so his hooves slipped in the snow and ice. Two more Werewolves jumped on them, toppling all six of them over the edge. Katerina screamed at the same time she heard Oreius shout.

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Peter watched in horror as Oreius and Kat were knocked off the ledge. He took a single step toward the ledge, hoping that maybe somehow they had survived. "Peeeeter!"

He whirled at Edmund's shout, raising his shield barely in time to keep a Werewolf from latching on to his neck. Instead, the Fell beast's teeth knocked against his shield as its weight drove him down to one knee. The Werewolf let out an unexpected howl of pain and then collapsed before Peter could bring his blade around. Peter looked up to see Edmund standing just in front of him, his sword still slightly raised from where he had stabbed the Werewolf. Lowering his arms, Edmund switched Shafhelm to his left hand and helped Peter back to his feet. "Back to back."

"Side to side." Not even a full minute passed before Peter found himself standing back to back with Edmund as Werewolves surrounded them. The rest of the Narnians were caught in their own fights, although he did notice several scrambling to disengage themselves, and the brothers were on their own for the moment. He shouted to be heard over the blizzard, "Ready, Ed?"

Edmund elbowed him in the back and then shouted, "Are you?"

Peter raised Rhindon as his answer and squinted against the swirling snow as he watched the Werewolves for the first hint of their next attack. _Aslan, lend strength to our arms and courage to our hearts._

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Brutus snarled as he watched the Narnians. They had prevented Her from being summoned, prevented his pack from being returned to their former place of glory. But, he could still take their little pretender kings. He didn't howl as he leapt down to the ledge just above the pretender kings as they stood at each other's backs, each facing four of his pack. They would fear him when he brought silent death to them and they would regret foiling his efforts for his pack. Watching the pretenders as members of his pack prepared to attack, Brutus crouched in readiness as he chose which of the pretender kings he would kill first.

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Katerina opened her eyes and blinked the world into focus. Or at least as much as she could bring a swirling mass of snow into focus. _I'm alive and in one piece...thank Aslan for really deep snow banks. But where's... _She blinked again then awkwardly lurched to her feet as she focused on the dark mass that had to be Oreius. The Kentauri was also starting to move, which calmed the immediate fear that he had landed badly and not survived the fall, but there was still a possibility he might have broken something if he had landed wrong or if the snow bank hadn't been as deep. The snow came up to her waist, severely limiting her mobility until she finally found an area where the snow was firmer and held her weight so she only sank down to her ankles in it. And, those Werewolves had probably survived (most unfortunately) and had to be lurking nearby. She needed to see if Oreius was even going to be able to fight. Katerina cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Oreius! Kentauri, I want to lodge a complaint about your shortcut!"

Oreius finally looked at her and she felt the knot in her chest loosen. And, judging by the look he was giving her, he thought the fall had rattled her brain. A growl cut her off before she even had time to shout anything else. She spun and caught the Werewolf in the ribs with her knives, sinking in the snow as she tossed the Werewolf over her. The Fell didn't get back up. _One down. Where, oh where are the other five? _"Sepphora!"

_Well, that answers that question._ She twisted to the best of her ability since she had sunk to her knees in the snow, raising her knives as the Werewolf tackled her. One knife caught him in the shoulder but the other only nicked his side. His teeth just grazed against her cheek as she adjusted the knife in her right hand and drove it between the Werewolf's ribs, aiming for his heart. The foul creature collapsed just as he attempted to bite her neck. She could feel his teeth and a disgusting amount of drool resting against her neck. _Yuck! Just yuck! I hate Werewolves!_

She shoved the Werewolf's body off her and scrambled to stand on top of the snow again. Oreius had gained his feet and four Werewolves lay dead near him. _That was...surprisingly easy._ Katerina started toward Oreius, still keeping her knives at the ready. She didn't trust Werewolves and she most certainly didn't trust situations that were too easy in the face of all things Murphy simply loved. The blowing snow and wind stung her exposed skin and constantly threatened to blind her, making it difficult to keep track of her surroundings, even with her night vision being better than that of a pure human. Katerina paused then looked over her shoulder, but she couldn't make out anything other than the mountain side with some shadowed recesses. She turned back to Oreius, "How far did we fall and where exactly did we land?"

The Kentauri shrugged as he slowly waded through the snow, "Twenty, thirty, perhaps even forty feet though I think that unlikely. If the snow drifts had not been so deep and fresh where we landed...we would be dead." He pointed toward one of the shadowed recesses, "That looks like a way up to the main trail. We need to get back to the others."

Katerina had the sudden urge to laugh at how the Kentauri once again didn't mince words about matters, but a heavy, furry weight slammed into her before she could respond to him. The force of the impact caused her to lose her knives. She gasped as the Werewolf (she heard it snarl and really what else could it be when they were stuck on a mountain in a blizzard with a bunch of Werwolves hunting them?) forced her deeper into the snow. _This is getting old and did he eat a lost Rhino on the way down here?_

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Peridan could see the Kings surrounded by Werewolves. The Werewolves were taking care to keep anyone from aiding them. He met Captain Ardon's gaze and returned the Centaur's curt nod. Charging the two Werewolves in front of him, Peridan fought with renewed energy and purpose. They had to reach the Kings.

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Frome's lips peeled back in a gruesome smile as he watched the Centaur's face as he tackled his mate, forcing her deeper into the snow. He held her face down in the snow just long enough to make sure she was disoriented and weak. Her struggles to dislodge him worked against her and she weakened even faster than Frome had hoped. Flipping the Centaur's mate over, he yanked her up so they were both facing the Centaur and then trailed his claws along her throat. He was going to enjoy taunting the Centaur with his mate's death. He growled, "She will die very slowly, Centaur." He tightened his grip on her neck then shifted his other hand so it hovered over her heart and slowly sank his claws through her clothing.

She suddenly thrashed, reaching back to hit him, and Frome grabbed her arm. His nostrils flared as the sweet scent of the blood sluggishly dripping down her arm from a wound to her wrist caught his attention. Still keeping one hand wrapped around her throat, Frome yanked her bleeding wrist toward him and licked both the fresh and frozen blood up. She was tasty.

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Every time a Werewolf would advance, Peter and Edmund forced them to fall back as they were met with shield and blade at every attempt. Peter silently thanked Aslan for all of Oreius' intensive training sessions. He raised his shield and kept his back firmly against his little brother's as one Werewolf leapt at him. He lashed out with Rhindon and the Werewolf dropped soundlessly into the churned and trampled snow. Ptah suddenly leapt on the back of another Werewolf and they rolled, hissing and growling, away from Peter and Edmund, perilously close to the same edge that Oreius and Kat had toppled over earlier.

The Leopard and Werewolf collapsed for a moment, partially hidden form sight by the swirling snow. Peter felt a wave of relief wash over him when Ptah stumbled away from the Werewolf...and the Werewolf didn't move again. However, his moment's inattention to his own ongoing battle nearly cost him dearly. Oreius would be most displeased if...when he heard what happened. A flash of movement out of the corner of his eye alerted him just before two Werewolves jumped at him. One impaled himself on Rhindon, but the other knocked Peter back into Edmund, nearly causing both brothers to fall. Edmund snapped, "Watch your footing!"

Peter grunted as he awkwardly slammed his shield against the Werewolf's head and struggled to regain his feet. "Easy for you to say." The Werewolf growled and charged him again, causing him to knock against Edmund's legs. Edmund stumbled and hissed a curse as he fended off his own Werewolf. Peter let go of Rhindon in favor of punching the Werewolf thrice in rapid succession. The Werewolf yelped and fell back. Peter got to his knees, only to get Edmund's elbow in his eye as he tried to stand. He grunted then snatched Rhindon up and drove the blade deep into the Werewolf's chest, finally killing the Fell beast.

He blinked as he realized that his left eye was already swelling from the impact of Edmund's elbow. He really wished he had packed his helmet along with the rest of his armor. Peter quickly put his back against his brother's once again, hoping nothing came at them from his left that Edmund missed...of course, Oreius had trained them in the past where one was blindfolded and depending on the other to see attacks they couldn't and guide their response. Unfortunately, there was no warning for either of them when the next Werewolf attacked. Peter got a good look at the scarred muzzle and teeth of the Werewolf before the Fell creature toppled him on top of Edmund.

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Oreius watched the Werewolf as Alambiel grimaced when the Fell creature licked her wrist. He recognized the grey Werewolf as the one who had attacked both the High King and the Gentle Queen, the one he had wounded the first time Werewolves attacked their party. Alambiel winced just before the Werewolf licked her wrist again. Oreius suspected the Werewolf had dug a claw into her wound to make it bleed more. He needed to distract the Werewolf before he decided to start eating Alambiel. "You'll have difficulty killing that one, slowly or quickly."

Alambiel shot him an irritated look but the Werewolf had stopped licking her wrist. "Is that what you think, Centaur? You play with her life?"

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Katerina didn't bother to hide her irritation at Oreius, but she was also _extremely _grateful that Frome had stopped licking her wrist. The Werewolf's grip on her throat and wrist loosened slightly as he questioned Oreius. Just enough that she managed to slip her free hand toward the dent in the snow where one of her knives had fallen. _Next time I go anywhere, I'm bringing all my knives...all of them._ Her fingers brushed against the blade, but she ignored the bite of the blade as she grabbed the knife. She managed to adjust her grasp so she was holding the knife by the hilt instead of the blade and then she stabbed the Werewolf's hand that was wrapped around her throat. She didn't dare drive the knife into his hand as hard as she could since she didn't want to stab herself in the throat, but it was deep enough to force Frome to let go of her throat.

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Frome snarled as the Centaur's mate cut him, but he tightened his grip on her wrist, keeping her from running and keeping her mate at bay since he could still kill her before the Centaur ever reached them. He growled at the Centaur's mate and she bared her teeth in her own silent snarl as she slashed at his arm. This fight would be even more fun than Frome had originally thought.

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Peridan watched in horror as the Werewolf tackled the Kings. He raced toward them, but another Werewolf slammed into him, knocking him clean off his feet. One of the Wolves and Captain Ardon came to his aid, but for every Werewolf they slew, yet more Werewolves appeared and intervened in their attempts to reach the Kings. He feared it would be too late for the Kings by the time they managed to extricate themselves from the constant fighting with the Werewolves._ Please Aslan, do not let it be so. Protect Your chosen Kings._

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Brutus still didn't make a sound as he stared into the eyes of the golden pretender king. He relished the alarm in the pretender's face, only slightly obscured by swelling around his left eye. But then the alarm vanished, leaving only a steely resolve. It was the same resolve Brutus had seen in the dark one's eyes when Medea had held him and Alambiel captive. The golden pretender surprised him by using his whole body to fling Brutus off his shield, rolling so as to allow the dark one to scramble out from under him. Brutus bared his teeth in a silent growl as he watched the two move to stand side by side and faced him.

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Katerina hissed then cut a long gash along Frome's arm, but the mangy mutt wouldn't let go of her wrist. Ignoring the pain from the pressure on her wounded wrist, Katerina twisted away from the Werewolf then kicked him just below his knee. The snow slowed her momentum, preventing her from slamming her boot against him with as much force as she wanted (and would have liked) to, but it still caused his leg to buckle. Unfortunately, he kept his grip on her wrist. She saw Oreius moving out of the corner of her eye and dropped down in the snow, giving him as much room to do whatever he was about to do as she could...while there was a Werewolf attached to her wrist. _I don't know what you're doing, Kentauri, but don't you dare miss._ She would never let him live it down if he cut her instead of the Werewolf. And, he'd better be planning on cutting the Werewolf.

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Peter watched the Werewolf carefully. It puzzled him that the Fell creature hadn't made a sound since he first attacked them...but he was certain the Werewolf intended to kill them. The blizzard kicked up around them again, momentarily blinding him. He instinctively raised his shield to help shield his face from the snow pelting him. It saved his life as not even half a moment later, the Werewolf crashed against his shield. Edmund grabbed his arm and pulled him back away from the Werewolf, but the Fell creature had already retreated out of striking distance. He could barely make out the Werewolf's form as the Fell beast circled around them. Then Edmund met his eyes, a cold, determined fire burning in their dark depths. Peter nodded and they charged as one toward the Werewolf.

Peter struck out with his shield as Edmund angled Shafhelm in a downward slash. The Werewolf still didn't make a sound but dark stains appeared almost immediately in the snow, confirming that the strike had connected. Then Edmund slammed his shield against the Werewolf's wounded side and Peter stepped forward, ramming Rhindon into the Werewolf's throat. He felt a faint sense of relief when the Werewolf with the scarred muzzle collapsed...he remembered Lucy and Kat's description of the Werewolf called Brutus and was relieved this Brutus could no longer hunt anyone else in his family and his people. But, that relief was short-lived as he realized the blizzard was getting even stronger...and they still didn't know if Kat and Oreius had survived their fall.

He raised his sword and shouted, "Narnia! To me! To me, Narnia!" The soldiers appearing out of the swirling wall of snow was a relief and then Peridan walked toward them, holding the reins of both his horse and Peter's, with Philip beside them. As they mounted up and then began another cautious yet swift trek down the trail, he prayed they would find Kat and Oreius...alive and in one piece.

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Katerina felt the pressure on her wrist suddenly stop pulling as Oreius gave a war cry and Frome let out a yelp. Raising her head, she grimaced at the sight of an unattached Werewolf arm still clutching at her wrist. It worked, but it was still so, so gross, in her personal and completely biased opinion. She forced the hand to let go of her wrist at the same time Oreius killed Frome by running him through the heart. She met Oreius' gaze and shrugged, "This wasn't my fault."

The Kentauri didn't say a word, just waited until she had found her other knife and sheathed them both before pulling her on his back again. Katerina grumbled, "I can walk, you know."

"Not fast enough."

He was probably right...okay, even she knew he was right, but she still tapped him in the side with her heel. She knew she was going to pay for that when they got back to Cair Paravel, as soon as they started training again. They barely reached the top of the main trail when out of the snow and darkness they ran right into the rest of their party. Katerina felt Oreius' relieved sigh when the Kings appeared slightly battered but unharmed. Now if only they could avoid freezing to death. Oreius didn't let them stop long, instead he quietly ordered them to march doubletime despite their fatigue. They did still have to get down the mountain before the blizzard killed them after all...

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, a nice long chapter and they're still not out of danger. Only six more chapters left. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	30. Chapter TwentyNine: Catch Your Breath

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Catch Your Breath

"Well, we're either going to freeze to death or we're going to fall off the face of this mountain."

Oreius could barely hear King Edmund's dismal observation over the howling of the wind, but the High King answered in a cheerful tone before he could say anything. "That's not a very optimistic outlook. Where's your positive thinking?"

King Edmund's sarcasm was clearly discernible though when he snapped, "Fine. I'm positive we'll fall off the face of this mountain or freeze to death."

Alambiel abruptly leaned to her left to look at the Kings and shouted, "Are you two trying to bring Murphy down on us? Quit talking and keep climbing before I decide to _throw_ you off the mountain."

Oreius rolled his eyes, but didn't ask her how she planned on throwing the Kings off the mountain when she was still on his back and the kings were both mounted. The Kings exchanged looks then King Edmund turned to look at Alambiel, "Can you tell us to keep climbing if we're riding down the mountain?"

"Oreius, let me down. I have to smack Edmund and then push him and Peter off the mountain."

"No."

Alambiel huffed, but didn't argue. He wondered if she was getting too cold and if his colts were also getting too cold. They would have to stop soon, but not until they had descended to the point where the blizzard raging around them could no longer snow them in. Frowning, he tugged one of her hands out from where it had been tucked between her arm and his side. Her fingernails were blue. He immediately took off his gloves as he scolded just loud enough for her to hear him, "Why did you not mention your hands earlier?"

She leaned close to his ear and quietly replied, "No one asked, oh and I was busy fighting mangy Werewolves."

He snorted as he pulled his gloves over her hands, "Keep these on and do not lose them as well."

Alambiel huffed, "I didn't lose mine. The Hag _took_ them."

Oreius didn't bother to reply, instead he just tucked her hands against his sides again and hoped shelter would be found sooner as opposed to later. He glanced at the Kings' hands just to make sure they still had their gloves; they did.

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22 Yule 1006

Susan twisted some holly boughs together as she struggled to keep herself from running up to the walls or the southern tower to peer into the distance while wishing for some news of her brothers, Kat, Oreius, and the others in their small party. Marsalla had also been stealing as many glances toward the mountains as she could. Susan prayed everyone, including Peridan, returned home safely. Dear Aslan, they had to come home.

She looked around the Great Hall, which was decorated completely and perfectly for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Marsalla and Deianeira had outdone themselves in leading the rest of her ladies in the decorating of the Cair. As she handed the holly boughs to one of the Fauns, she caught the last bit of a whispered conversation between a Squirrel and a Mouse. "...no, no, that storm on the mountains is a blizzard, I tell you. And, what's more it's probably dark magic."

Susan didn't listen to another word. Instead, she pasted on a gracious smile and thanked everyone for aiding in the decorating and other preparations for the upcoming Christmas Eve and Day events. Walking into her rooms, she threw open the doors to the balcony and stared south to the mountains. _Aslan, please keep them safe. Please..._

She ignored the cold and the dampness of the snow as she watched for any sign of the Birds they had sent to watch for the party's return. When Lucy joined her, Susan merely wrapped an arm around her little sister's shoulders. Even after they finally retreated inside, Susan and Lucy both kept an eye on the window, watching and waiting. They would keep their vigil until their loved ones and friends returned home to the Cair.

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They had finally reached an area sheltered from the wind and snow. Oreius immediately called a halt, knowing everyone was too exhausted to keep going through the night. The Narnians huddled together, the Talking Beasts crawling across the Kings and Peridan to keep the Humans warm. Peter was grateful for the two large Wolves draped across his and Edmund's laps and Philip behind them, while Captain Ardon had settled on his left with Peridan on Edmund's other side and Ptah in his lap and Ihbari forming the right side barrier. Kat and Oreius were directly across from them with the other Narnians completing the circle. Edmund was snoring as he leaned against Peter and it looked like everyone except the current guard was asleep. Peter had nearly dozed off himself when he heard Kat say something to Oreius. He cracked his eyelids open just enough to peek at them. He was slightly surprised to see Kat leaning her head against Oreius' shoulder, but then she was probably even more worn out than the rest of them. "Come on, Kentauri, you have to agree."

"No I do not believe that is true."

"Oreius, will you please play one game of snowball with me when we get back to the Cair? Please?"

"And, you will fill out a full report of everything that happened if I do so?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Now sleep."

Kat chuckled, but Peter noticed her eyes were already closed. Her obvious exhaustion only served to remind him of his own. As he surrendered to his own need for sleep, Peter still had enough energy to think that only Kat would manage to bribe Oreius into agreeing to a snowball game. He hoped they reached home before Christmas, and even before Christmas Eve...maybe in time for that ice fishing tournament. He also hoped the girls weren't fretting too much.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, only five more chapters left. Next chapter is the homecoming. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	31. Chapter Thirty: Midnight Homecoming

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Thirty: Midnight Homecoming

23 Yule 1006

"Your Majesty. Your Majesty, wake."

Susan opened her eyes and jerked back slightly at seeing the Bat next to her pillow, "What is it?"

The Bat blinked then whispered again, "The scouts have spotted a party approaching the gates. they should be in the courtyard by-"

Susan didn't wait to hear more. Flinging the sheets back, she quickly shook Lucy's shoulder. "Lucy! They're back!" She didn't wait for Lucy to untangle herself from the sheets. She didn't even remember to thank the Bat nor did she remember her robe or slippers as she ran out the door. Not waiting as Lucy called her name, she ran through the corridors. _Thank you, Aslan. Thank you!_

She ran out into the courtyard, "Peter! Edmund!" Her brothers had just enough time to turn around before she flung herself at them, managing to hug them both. She peppered kisses on their faces, ignoring Edmund's muffled protests. Oh, but their skin was so cold. They must be freezing. Lucy ran up and joined in the hug, peppering them with even more kisses.

Susan was vaguely aware of most of the soldiers seeking the warmth of their quarters, either in the barracks or in the palace itself. She tightened her hug on her brothers, and then she locked gazes with Kat. They had found her! Susan quickly disentangled herself from her brothers and hugged Kat as well.

She stepped back again and shivered as the cold and wetness of the snow finally registered. Crossing her arms, she shifted her feet as she surveyed Peter, Edmund, Kat, and General Oreius. "Oh, come inside, before we all freeze to death." Lucy smiled as she offered her her robe, which Susan gratefully slipped into before she began herding her brothers toward the warm indoors, leaving Kat and Oreius to follow them. "You need something hot to eat and drink. And, baths, definitely baths as soon as you've warmed up enough to take them. The servants should have gone to light fires in everyone's quarters by now too. And, those clothes need to be burned, Kat."

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Oreius watched as the Gentle Queen ushered her brothers and Alambiel in the direction off their respective quarters while Queen Lucy bounced between clinging to Alambiel and her brothers. He followed them until first Alambiel and then the Royals were safely ensconced in their rooms. He could still hear Queen Susan fussing over her brothers as he finally headed for his own rooms and he could also hear Tuulea fussing over Alambiel from the hall. Opening the doors to his own quarters, Oreius was grateful to see a fire was already burning high in the fireplace. He didn't give into his own fatigue just yet though, first he removed and meticulously cleaned his armor and swords before putting them up. He left his travel packs beside the bed, those he would tend to later. Now he would see about having a bath and getting something hot to eat and drink...not necessarily in that order.

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Katerina suppressed the urge to sigh as Tuulea brushed out her hair for her. The Black Elder Nymph had taken all her clothes except for her cloak and Oreius' gloves and handed them to one of the servants to be burned, including her boots. "I can't believe you ordered my boots to be burned."

Tuulea tsked, "Honestly, Child, you have another pair of boots in your wardrobe, not to mention other perfectly good shoes and slippers you might wear instead of your boots for a change. And, those boots no longer qualified as decent footwear."

Katerina chose not to comment further, otherwise Tuulea might decide to stuff her into one of the fancier gowns she had worked so hard on avoiding _and_ take away her other pair of boots. Tuulea didn't say anything else until after she had started to braid Katerina's hair (more intricately than Katerina usually did her sleep braid, but she knew better than to complain), "The Queens have been told, Alambiel. And, I suspect that the Kings have also been informed."

"I figured that would happen when I gave Susan the message that I released the five of you from your oath. How did they handle it?"

"They were surprised. But, I do not think they know how to react to the revelation of your heritage just yet. You will have to speak with them about it, about all of it."

"Yes, but not until after Christmas...when there are less distractions. Tell Stonebrook to go ahead and dig it out from wherever he stashed it. I might as well present it to them all at the same time."

Tuulea gave the end of her braid a slight tug before she stood, "I will inform him. And, you Child, should get some sleep. It is Christmas Eve and in the morn is the ice fishing tournament." The Nymph left without waiting for Katerina to answer.

Katerina smiled in amusement as she glanced over at the clock and saw it was indeed after midnight and officially Christmas Eve. _Thank you, Aslan, for bringing us home in time for both Christmas Eve and Christmas. _She shook her head as she noticed Oreius' gloves still resting on top of her dressing table before yawning. _I'll just have to return those later. The Kentauri's probably asleep by now anyway._ Curling under the covers, Katerina knew that everything revolving around her heritage would soon be common knowledge, but not until after Christmas.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, only four chapters left. The next chapter skips to after Christmas. However, something important does happen on Christmas and is detailed in ****_Christmas in the Cair_****. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	32. Chapter 31: After Christmas Comes Truth

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Additional Chapter Note: Spoilers for events in _Christmas in the Cair_ ahead.

Chapter Thirty-One: After Christmas Comes Truth

28 Yule 1006

Katerina frowned down at the gloves laying on her dressing table. She still hadn't given them back to Oreius…probably because she had been avoiding him for the past two and a half days (not that she would ever admit it to anyone) since the Christmas Day ball. She ruthlessly forced her thoughts away from the k...from the reason for her avoidance of the Kentauri. "Chicken. Avoiding him will only give him the wrong idea." It was just a mistletoe kiss after all. Nothing more. Pep talk given, she grabbed the gloves and a thick report then walked to Orieus' quarters.

The Kentauri was in his study, going over paperwork (as per usual), but he looked up immediately when she rapped her knuckles against the doorframe. "Alambiel."

She set the report on his desk, "As agreed, one full report." Then she dropped his gloves on top of the report, "And, your gloves, which you may count yourself lucky that they weren't burned with the rest of my clothes when we got back."

Oreius raised an eyebrow, "The Queen Susan was sincere?"

Katerina rolled her eyes, "Yes, she meant it and so did Tuulea."

She could tell the Kentauri was trying not to smile as he asked, "Why?"

"Because my clothes were "absolutely filthy and no longer fit for wearing." And, they did have a point considering how much blood and whatever else was on them after being in the Hag's nest. But, they really didn't have to burn my boots too." She rolled her eyes, "All that survived the cleansing was your gloves and my cloak...which was previously yours. Oh, wait that reminds me, I owe you this." She smacked him in the arm, "You nearly got me eaten by a Werewolf!"

Oreius raised both eyebrows, "I did no such thing. I _kept_ you from being eaten by a Werewolf…several Werewolves, actually. Why would you say otherwise?"

Katerina opened her mouth to tell him about Frome's assumption that she had been his mate, but the memory of the mistletoe kiss flashed to the fore of her thoughts. Okay, that would be a bit more awkward than she wanted to risk at that particular moment. However... She managed to smoothly change what she was going to say before Oreius realized that was what she had done (thank Aslan). She grinned as she answered, "Read the report."

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29 Yule 1006

Susan exchanged looks with each of her siblings as they gathered in the smaller conference room. They would finally be able to question Kat as to the whole truth of her heritage...and why she kept it from them. Kat came in accompanied by Stonebrook, Tuulea, Ardon, Alithia, and Oreius. Peter spoke first, "Thank you for meeting with us today. Kat..."

As Peter trailed off, Edmund leaned forward, "What he's trying to ask is why do you have to be so bloody complicated?"

Kat flashed them a grin, "I can hardly pick my parents."

Lucy giggled and even Susan felt herself smiling at Kat's jest. However, they couldn't afford to be sidetracked at the moment. She cleared her throat, "True, but you could have told us who your parents were before this past week. You knew about your heritage for two and a half years, but instead of letting us know, you kept it from us. What's more, you intentionally misled us when we enquired as to the results of your search for your family."

Peter nodded in agreement, "Not to mention that fact that you informed five of the most trusted members of our court and swore them to secrecy."

Kat bowed her head slightly, "Although I can argue that I never actually misled you, I must also concede that it can also be argued that by allowing you to draw your own conclusions on the little information I gave you, I did mislead you. But, please, don't be angry with them. First, the oath brought no harm to you or Narnia. Second, Stonebrook, Tuulea, and Oreius already knew, so all I did was acknowledge that I also remembered my own heritage."

Susan looked at the others, but they all seemed content to allow Kat to speak for now. Edmund was looking at Kat intently and his voice was low as he asked the question Susan knew all of them had been wondering since they learned of the truth. "Why did you keep this from us, Kat? Do you not trust us?"

"I did not keep this information from you out of a lack of trust, but out of a desire to make sure I didn't cause true trouble." She raised her hand when Edmund and Peter both opened their mouths to protest, "Let me finish. Two and a half years ago how much trouble and unrest would it have caused if it were common knowledge that the reckless maverick of a knight was not only a royal but the only direct descendent of the last King of Narnia before the Long Winter still alive? Especially with that peace summit scheduled for the next summer?"

Edmund quietly muttered, "Not that we didn't have trouble anyway."

"It would have been worse if everyone knew about my heritage and were questioning my motives and my loyalties."

Susan hated to admit it, but Kat was right. Those few who still grumbled about Kat's current level of authority would have made things impossible as they went into a tizzy of accusations and suggestions of conspiracy on Kat's part. "When were you planning to tell us?"

Kat smiled ruefully, "Honestly? I had no plans to tell you just yet. I would have been perfectly happy to wait a decade…or two. However, it seems this was the right time to cease concealing the full truth."

Edmund suddenly groaned, "This is going to be a political and legal nightmare, even worse than the last time." He gave Stonebrook a weary look, "I don't suppose you know which law books deal with handling the fallout of the return of the last heir of the previous dynasty, do you?"

Stonebrook chuckled, "I am afraid there is nothing that addresses this particular situation, Just King."

Kat interjected before Edmund could say anything else, "Which is why I wrote an edict with Stonebrook's aid to address this situation, and it was sealed and witnessed by those you see before you. That would be the other reason I informed these five of the truth and then swore them to secrecy."

Susan was slightly astonished, but then again she didn't know why she was since Kat was far more aware of legalities and other diplomatic and political matters than she ever admitted...or liked to act. And, with Stonebrook helping... Peter seemed to have the same thought as he straightened slightly, "We would see this edict."

Katerina bowed her head, "Of course, High King. Stonebrook, if you would?"

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, only three chapters left. Next chapter will be the edict among other things. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	33. Chapter ThirtyTwo: Alambiel's Edict

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Thirty-Two: Alambiel's Edict

_To all within hearing of the reading of this edict, greetings,_

_Be it known that in as much as it is the will of Aslan to have placed the rule of Narnia under the Four Kings and Queens: High King Peter the Magnificent, Queen Susan the Gentle, King Edmund the Just, and Queen Lucy the Valiant, in the year 1000, He has willed the return of the last heiress to Lew, King of Narnia, last of the line of Frank. Nonetheless, in order to prevent discord and all other manner of inconveniences likely to arise from the revelation, it is the desire of Alambiel, at times known as Katerina, daughter of Lew, at times Princess of Narnia, now Lady and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Lion, to impress upon and declare her status. Having been spirited away from Narnia upon the fall of her father, the King Lew, and the rise of that tyrant and self-proclaimed Queen of Narnia, Jadis, she did so survive by Aslan's will. And, being summoned back to Narnia, one year into the reign of the Four Kings and Queens, at Aslan's will, she did enter into service to their Majesties. Whilst knowledge of her past was hidden until by the will and grace of Aslan it should be revealed, upon receiving the disclosure of said heritage, Alambiel, daughter of Lew, having chosen to persist in service to the appointed Sovereigns of Narnia, did set out to issue this edict._

_It is the will of Alambiel, daughter of Lew, to declare that whilst she might lay claim to the ancient throne of Narnia by right of blood, she hereby repudiates the claim in such as it would proceed contrary to the will of Aslan. Furthermore, let it be known, that Alambiel, daughter of Lew, does abdicate all future right to the throne of Narnia for any and all descendents of herself. Whilst she cannot repudiate the previously bestowed titles of her father's line (Princess of Narnia, etc.), it is the decision and declaration of Alambiel, daughter of Lew, that the titles and heritage given to her by right of birth and blood shall not be used in commonplace occurrence but only in such occurrences wherein it is necessitated that a Royal of Narnia intervene, contribute, etc, unless otherwise commanded by the Four Kings and Queens of Narnia or by the will of Aslan, lest it cause unrest and disruption to enter Narnia and her holdings. Lest the authority inherently bestowed upon her by said titles and heritage be used to harm or disrupt the rule of the Four Kings and Queens of Narnia, it is the decision of Alambiel, daughter of Lew, that she will rarely and judiciously make use of that authority, aside from issuing this edict. It is the judgment of Alambiel, daughter of Lew, that the authority granted to her by the Four Kings and Queens in accordance with her station of service shall suffice for commonplace occurrences. _

_By the will of Aslan, this edict has been issued by Alambiel, daughter of Lew, signed, witnessed, and sealed on this day, XII of Greenroof in the year 1004, the fourth year of the reign of the Four Kings and Queens of Narnia._

_Alambiel, daughter of Lew_

_Stonebrook _

_Tuulea_

_Captain Sir Ardon Einion _

_Alithia_

_General Sir Oreius Cyneward_

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Susan exchanged a faintly astonished look with her siblings as Peter finished reading the edict. Even knowing, or at least guessing, that Kat was far more aware of legalities and other diplomatic and political matters than she ever admitted, it was still a bit of a surprise to see how thoroughly she addressed the issues the knowledge of her heritage might cause. But, the red seal, Kat's royal seal, and the green seal, Stonebrook's official seal, left no doubt that this edict was validated, legitimate, and in accordance with all Narnian law. Furthermore, Kat had found a way to maintain all of her authority without it appearing to be a threat to the will of Aslan or their own reign. She met Kat's steady gaze and suddenly knew that if Kat had not chosen to willingly serve them, to pledge her loyalty to all Four of them, she could have caused more harm to Narnia than even Jadis by plunging the country into civil war. And, stubborn fools like Nausus thought Kat was plotting against them...Susan had the sudden desire to laugh at the foolishness of it all because every action Kat took was in service to Aslan and to the Four of them even concealing the truth of the exact nature of her family background. And, it would have taken less work to plot against them than to do everything she had to in order to conceal the truth until it would no longer cause harm to their rule.

Edmund looked at Kat and stated, "I would kiss you for thinking of this, but I don't want to and I think you would smack me if I did."

Kat crossed her arms, looking very stern except for the mischievous glint in her eyes, "Sure enough."

Susan rolled her eyes as everyone else laughed, but she couldn't keep from smiling too. Peter cleared his throat, "We have determined that while We wish you had brought this information _and_ this edict to Our attention sooner, you were correct in surmising how this matter would have caused disruption to Our reign and Our people in spite of everyone's best efforts. And, We thank you for undertaking this burden." He handed the edict back to Stonebrook. "Stonebrook, We would have you place this edict where it may be easily accessed and it shall be read to the full council and the court on the morrow."

Stonebrook bowed, "Yes, your Majesty."

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"You will still have to speak on the matter further with each of them, Alambiel."

Katerina met Oreius' gaze and nodded, "Yes, I know. I frayed their trust in me a bit and it will take more than that edict and my explanation to mend it. But, in this case, I think it best to let them approach me about it instead of my approaching them. They will know when they are prepared to listen and truly discuss things better than I could guess."

Oreius gave a curt nod, "I believe that is a wise decision considering the circumstances."

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, only two chapters left. Hopefully, the edict makes sense since this was the first time I tried to write such a thing (which is why I didn't include it in _Revealed_). Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	34. Chapter ThirtyThree: Mending the Fray

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Mending the Fray

31 Yule 1006

Susan sighed as she rubbed her forehead, "Please tell me that Faun Nausus regained consciousness after last night and is in a more agreeable mood."

Lucy giggled, "He's conscious and his wife said he's going to be in an agreeable mood whether he wants to or not because he's getting too old to be disagreeable all the time."

Susan just shook her head. Admittedly, Faun Nausus collapsing after turning a furious shade of red upon reading a copy of the edict for the fourth time had been the most dramatic reaction among their council and the court, but there were plenty of others who had requested private audiences with her siblings and herself in order to question them about the edict. The audiences had taken all day yesterday and lasted into the night since they decided to read it to the Parliament of Owls as well and the nocturnal residents of Cair Paravel had been present, along with anyone who had somehow missed the reading that morning. Kat had wisely made herself rather scarce so they had time to make sure things didn't get out of hand as news spread about Kat's heritage and the resultant edict.

Edmund and Peter walked into the room and collapsed on the settee with twin groans. Susan didn't even scold them about their posture. Instead, she focused on what Peter was saying. "That was the last audience and the last query regarding Kat."

Edmund raised his head up just long enough to add, "Praise Aslan."

Susan sighed in relief and then she noticed Lucy was peering intently out one of the windows, "What are you looking at, Lucy?"

"Kat's on the bluff."

Moving to join Lucy at the window, Susan spotted Kat standing out on the bluff overlooking the ocean. In that moment, she made her decision. She was already heading for the door when Peter called out, "Where are you going, Su?"

"To talk to Kat." She had barely reached the turn that would take her to her rooms so she could grab a cloak when Lucy and their brothers caught up with her. As soon as they were all sufficiently bundled against the cold, Susan led the way as they walked out to the bluff. She had been slightly surprised that Oreius wasn't there but then again he could be around somewhere watching over all of them. Kat must have been out there for some time because her cheeks and nose were quite red when she turned to look at them and she had wrapped her dark red cloak tightly around herself. "Why didn't you trust us?"

Kat smiled sadly, "I trust you, but some burdens are meant to be carried alone for a time…at least until the time is right for those burdens to be revealed. You know I love the four of you like family and we all know I cause enough headaches for you lot...not to mention Stonebrook...without adding the additional complications of my being a royal."

Susan had to admit she did understand, but Edmund spoke before she could say anything. "You know you cause Oreius headaches too, right?"

Kat grinned, "Those are on purpose...mostly." She grew serious again as she continued, "Something you need to understand is that it doesn't really matter to me about my rank. My search was solely to find out who my family was and to unlock my memories of my life before I went to the world of the Sons and Daughters of Adam and Eve. And, that is what I did. Moreover, I was never actually intended to rule. I was the youngest and I had six older brothers, all but one of whom were married. My eldest brother, the crown prince, was a grown man with three children of his own, and my eldest nephew was a year older than me. I am perfectly happy with my life of service. It gives me purpose to be the protector." She smiled slightly as she added, "Not to mention I don't want run this nuthouse, I'm busy enough going from chief nut to cracking the troublemakers."

Susan exchanged looks with her siblings and then nodded, "That...that makes sense, Kat. It's very logical…" She trailed off then quipped, "Although it lends some more relief to all the times you've given back the Cair after staging one of your coups."

Kat laughed, "I'm sure." She looked out over the sea again for several minutes before turning back, "Does this mean I'm forgiven for not telling you sooner even though it was for your own good?"

Her siblings nodded, but Susan hesitated, "Well...maybe after we do _this_!" She threw the snowball she had formed while Kat was looking at the sea and laughed when it struck Kat in the face.

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Oreius chuckled from where he'd been watching as the Gentle Queen hit Alambiel in the face with a snowball. Almost immediately, the others also began pelting Alambiel with snowballs, who rushed to form some sort of defense amidst shouts of laughter and mock threats. Alambiel had almost gained the upper hand when the Queens threw their arms around her...and shoved snow down the back of her tunic, judging by her shouts. The Kings joined in the group hug a moment later and they overbalanced, toppling all five of them. They rolled down the hill leading up to the bluff, but no one was injured since Alambiel immediately began running for a more defensible position as the Four chased her. Watching the five of them in an impromptu snowball fight, Oreius was certain that the bond between the Four and Alambiel had mended.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, only one chapter left. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	35. Chapter ThirtyFour: Until Next We Meet

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the _A Light in the Darkness_ main story arc (_Awakening__, Shadowed, and_ _Revealed_), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Additional Chapter Note: Spoilers for events in _Christmas in the Cair_ ahead.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Until Next We Meet

After watching the Four and Alambiel finally make their snowy way into the Cair, Oreius went to his quarters...he still needed to finish reading Alambiel's report. Alambiel's reports were always...detailed, just not in the same way as any other report that crossed his desk because she wrote her report and then added her additional comments and opinions instead of solely confining them to the end of the report. He had just read the part where Alambiel traded herself to the Werewolves, wherein she had put in the note _I know it was stupid, but what else could I do?_, before he turned the page and was immediately confronted by a note at the top of the page: _Don't drink anything while reading this part...and it was not my fault._ He shook his head. _Maybe this will explain why she decided to blame me for one of the Werewolves trying to eat her..._

_The Beta of the Werewolf pack, called Frome, attacked me because he assumed I was "the Centaur's mate"...the Centaur in question being one General Oreius. _Oreius' eyebrows shot up as he re-read that sentence. The grey Werewolf he had wounded in that first encounter on the way to Archenland had chosen to seek revenge on his _mate_? And, had assumed that Alambiel was his mate? He continued reading, half-hoping to see a note about Alambiel's personal thoughts concerning the Werewolf's assumptions but for once she didn't write her personal thoughts down in the report. Instead, she noted her assumption that it was the combination of their typical proximity to each other and the fact that she had been wearing his old cloak that contributed to the Werewolf drawing the conclusion that he had the appropriate target for his revenge. By the time he finished the report, Oreius had much to consider...

He knew why Alambiel had told him to read the report instead of explaining her comment about it being his fault for the Werewolf, Frome's continued attempts to kill her. The mistletoe kiss had made that too awkward for her to inform him that it was because the Werewolves had decided they were mates. But, he tried not to draw any conclusions as to the exact reason _why_ the mistletoe kiss had made it awkward for her when normally she would have indulged in teasing and gentle mocking of the assumption...or why she had avoided him for two and a half days after the Christmas Day ball. Oreius shook his head and forced himself to make notes for his own record before he put away Alambiel's report.

Opening the drawer where he kept his private records, Oreius paused when he spotted the wooden travel case tucked in the back. Pulling it out, he opened it and was greeted by the sight of the silver and amethyst necklace and earrings he had bought for Alambiel. He had originally intended to give it to her as a Christmas present, but he hadn't dug it out of his travel packs until two days after Christmas...and after she had skipped their usual Sixthday talk. He stared at the jewelry for several moments as he recalled the question the purchase had prompted Peridan to ask him and how he now had to answer truthfully that Alambiel was no longer just a friend to him...she was much more. But, he had vowed that he would not hurt her and she still hadn't completely relaxed around him again after sharing that mistletoe kiss, so he knew it was not the time to speak to her about his change of heart. And...it was not the right time to give her the jewelry either. He closed the lid then set the case back in the drawer, underneath his private records, and then he locked the drawer. One day, he would give them to Alambiel...

At least, he could count on the absence of trouble from the Werewolves and Hags responsible for the disruptions of the last month. The Werewolf pack had been wiped out, only three managing to disappear into the Western Wilds. The Hags were currently being hunted down by a troop led by Lieutenant Illusin, who had volunteered for the task. There was no more trouble or threats aimed at Alambiel and/or the Four...until the next time something happened anyway.

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Brutus snarled at the hidden presence, "You refused to help with the ceremony and refused to aid the pack, but you decide to heal me. Why?"

It troubled him that he could not smell the magic user more than the fact that he could not see him. As the low whisper filled the cavern, "Because it amused me to do so."

Brutus growled, "And, why didn't you help with the plan?"

"I do not want to serve Jadis again...and Alambiel and that younger king are interesting. I want to know more about them before I choose to attack." Brutus could feel the flare of magic as an image of Alambiel appeared in the magic user's mirror before he heard the whisper again, "You forget, Brutus, that watching is half the fun of a successful hunt. And, I intend to watch for a while before next meeting the Narnians."

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! So ends _A Light in the Darkness: Concealed_. Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. This is my most reviewed story to date. I hope you have enjoyed this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter, the hints of things to come, and this story as a whole.**

**A/N2: Look for the prologue of _A Light in the Darkness: Rekindled_ tomorrow!**


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